Green Roses
by Mrs. Boojangles
Summary: When Harley is beaten within an inch of her life, something in her drastically changes. With Ivy at her side, can she fight the demons in her life and move forward? Or will the Joker kill what he can no longer have? Harley/Ivy. M for content, sex, and language.
1. Chapter 1

Ivy sat in her greenhouse, working under fluorescent bulbs to make up for the lack of sunlight. She had found herself keeping strange hours in her sanctuary, sleep eluding the green skinned beauty. The disappearance of one Harley Quinn had everything to do with it. Frankly, she was worried. Terrified, and rightfully so. Numerous times the harlequin had appeared on her door step, bloodied and beaten, and abandoned by a man that would _never_ come to love her. And every instance, Ivy would nurture and care for both the body and spirit of the only person she could honestly call her friend.

Ivy sighed and put the plant down on the small table off to one corner of the massive greenhouse. She ran her hands through the bed head she had managed to procure while she uselessly tried to get any ounce of shut eye. Something was wrong, very wrong in Gotham when the Joker could be seen on the streets and Harley was not at his side.

Suddenly alerted by the sound of tires screeching outside her hide out, Ivy quickly ran to the side of her glass house and out the hidden door. Running to the street, she only saw the fading sight of tail lights down the road. Distinctly, though, before the squeal of rubber on asphalt, she had heard the sound of broken glass. When the woman walked through the dense vegetation that surrounded her hide out, Ivy came upon the broken window in the front. Entering the door, she glanced down to her right to the object thrown through her window. She picked up the object and, turning it over in her hands, inspected it. A playing card with a malicious joker on it looked up at her from the front of the small package. With a look of disgust, she ripped the card off the package and threw it to one of her ever ready plants. She opened the package facing away from her, wary of laughing gas, as is a trademark of the clown prince of crime. When the paper opened, more glass fell out onto the floor. Curious, Ivy turned it over and paled. Her hands went slack and the object fell to the floor with a wooden clack. Staring up at her horrified green eyes was a photo of Harley Quinn.

* * *

The pink convertible Harley had managed to steal back from police custody roared down the street, the driver a tense and horrified Poison Ivy. Her red hair blew haphazardly against the wind surrounding her car. Her engine roared as the vehicle broke every speed limit in Gotham to get to her destination. It was unknown when the picture was taken, or if even the harlequin was still there, but Ivy knew that time was not on her side. Taking a corner on two wheels, Ivy sped faster, her destination close.

Rounding her final turn, Ivy slammed on the brakes and the car slid to a screaming stop outside an alley. A neon marquee lit the street to an eerie green and blue as Ivy hopped out of the car, keys in the ignition, motor idling. Her legs pumped as she ran, her heart thrumming against her rib cage.

_Please, Harley. Please, still be there._

The woman weaved around fallen trashcans and debris in the narrow alley, her feet knowing which turns to take. With a bound, Ivy grabbed a cyclone fence and hopped it, her stride never once breaking. Faster she ran, her destination nearing. The panic she felt at knowing Harley could no longer be there only motivated her to move even faster. Almost a blur, Ivy maneuvered one last trash can, and made one last turn before stopping dead in her tracks. Sure enough, just like the picture revealed, Harley was the same. The broken form of the clown stared solemnly up at Ivy. Her green eyes watered as she took a shaky step forward.

"Harley.."

The form did not stir at the mention of it's name. Another step forward, and Ivy felt all the energy in her body drain. Tears clung to the corners of emerald eyes as Ivy took yet another step forward.

"Harley, please."

Only two more steps and Ivy was standing above her, looking over the prone form. Her costume was torn in numerous places and it was stained in blood. The pale face showed bruising and her lips were covered in dried blood. The blonde hair was matted and dirty. There was a pool of blood slowly forming around the battered woman. Slowly, Ivy sunk to her knees, her breath caught in her throat. With shaky fingers, she reached out and hoped to find a pulse. Harley was cool to the touch, but sure enough, faintly, she felt the beat against her fingertips. Ivy let out a strangled gasp of relief as she realized she was still alive. For now.

Thinking quickly, Ivy scooped up Harley in her arms and, holding her closely, made the fastest dash for her car that she dared. Her car was just as she left it, door ajar and the engine running, and she said a silent thanks that the car hadn't been seen or stolen. Loading the precious cargo into the back seat, Ivy sat shakily behind the wheel. Now wasn't the time for her to come to pieces, and quickly she reviewed her options. Her eyes tracked backward to look at the woman. Under the marquee, Harley looked even more worse for wear. Ivy, biting back her contempt and anger at the man responsible, she turned her car in the only direction she knew.

* * *

Ivy kicked open the door to her hideout, Harley tucked safely in her arms. She shut the door behind her with a slam and made a quick dash for the kitchen table. Quickly depositing the woman down on the flat surface, Ivy ran to get the medical supplies she had too often used for this particular patient. Her plants quivered in response to Ivy's fear and adrenaline, though she barely noticed. Returning to Harley's side, she surveyed the best way to take care of the wounds. Already blood was collecting under Harley, so Ivy worked to begin removing the tattered remains of the black and red costume.

Parts of the suit stuck to drying wounds, and Ivy tried her best to carefully remove the cloth. If Harley felt any pain, her face did not show it. She had not stirred once in the time Ivy had moved her from the alley, to the car, and from the car into the house and onto the table.

With the last of the costume removed, Ivy got a total picture of the kind of damage done to her friend. Not an inch of skin wasn't bruised. Scratches and slices littered her body in innumerable amounts. There were deep gashes on her hips and thighs, and teeth marks on her breasts. There was even worse bruising on her ribs, and with careful prodding, Ivy realized many were broken. Her left hand had a gash through it, as if a knife had found refuge within the harlequin's hand.

Carefully, and with great care, Ivy began to slowly wash the form of her friend. Dirt and grime were washed away from the many wounds, showing the true, angry nature of many of them. Ivy moved down her body, noticing many injuries, and discovered the tell tale sign of blood on her thighs. Momentarily overcome with emotion, Ivy's hands ceased and her green eyes roamed the face of her friend. Again, her eyes watered.

"Oh, Harley."

Ivy closed her eys and breathed for a moment before her hands resumed her task at cleaning the wounds and flesh of her friend. Having finished the front, Ivy slowly rolled the woman over onto her side. Rounding the table, she came upon Harley's back. The bowl fell from her hands and splashed the grimy water across the floor. Ivy's eyes stared transfixed to the word staring back at her. 'Joker' was written in scratchy, deep letters across Harley's back, and bled freely. The backs of her thighs were bruised and scratched and welts covered her backside.

Tears streaming unchecked down her face, Ivy cleaned the rest of friend and proceeded with the bandaging process.

* * *

What seemed like hours later, Ivy had finished with her care of the rogue. She had washed her hair as best she could, and during so, felt a large bump at the back of her skull. When Ivy checked the baby blues, they were hardly responsive to the light. Ivy, at her wits end and far too emotional, realized she was not fit to take care of the extent of Harley's injuries.

She went over the options in her head. Let her friend surely die, or ask for help. And at this point, Ivy would have done anything to save Harley. Taking one last survey of the bandages covering most of the woman, she wrapped her up in her favorite green and red blanket and loaded her back in the car.

"I'll get you the help you need, Harl. I promise."

Driving without stopping at any red lights or obeying the speed limits, she pulled up on a darkened block in Gotham. Perturbed, she glanced at the back seat at the pale form wrapped in a blanket.

"I'll be right back, Harley. 5 minutes, tops."

She exited the car and closed the door, again she left it running. She looked at the woman and placed a small kiss on her head.

"Soon, baby. Count on it." she murmured against the damp hair.

Ivy used seeds she had with her to grow a tall, thin stalk she could easily climb. Arriving at the top of the building, she saw her goal.

_I can't believe I'm about to do this._

Approaching what she never thought she would, she found the switch and flicked in on. She watched the sky illuminate with the bat symbol and her body caught a chill.

_Anything for you, Harley._

Quickly leaving the rooftop, she gathered the now seedling stalk and made a dash back to the car. Harley was just as Ivy left her, propped against the side of the car in her blanket. Ivy checked the pulse and sighed as she found the ever faint beat against her finger tips. Within moments, she heard the familiar rustle of fabric and turned to look at the shadow behind her.

"Ivy."

"Batman."

The dark knight stood glancing at her and Ivy had to bite back the insanity of the moment. She had a goal, and she would not be off put by the foreboding figure.

"I need your help."

If she could have seen his eyebrows, she was sure one of them would have instantly spiked. Instead, her gaze never wavered and her voice was as steady as ever. She looked him head on as he stood in silence.

"My help? With what?"

His countenance was just as always, monotone and systematic. He surveyed the scene and noticed Harley in the back seat of the convertible.

"With Harley."

He stepped forward a moment and glanced at the unmoving form.

"What happened to Quinn, Ivy?"

Allowing herself to feel the anger she'd been biting down, her green eyes darkened.

"Joker." The word felt like acid on her tongue.

He glanced back at her and noticed the change in her demeanor.

"How bad are her injuries?" his voice almost echoed in the empty street. Ivy suppressed a shudder.

"Bad. And I don't mean to be impatient with this, Bats, considering I basically _called_ you. But I don't want Harley to die. She doesn't have much time as it is, and every second we waste chit chatting, she gets closer to death." Her green eyes glowed with her pent up emotions and she unknowingly had placed a hand on Harley's shoulder.

She watched as he hit a button on his belt and in seconds, she heard the familiar roar of the batmobile in the distance. She watched as he touched a gloved hand to his ear piece and held a quiet conversation with whoever was on the other end. The batmobile stopped aside them and the cover opened with a hiss. He walked past Ivy and carefully picked up Harley. As he went for her, Ivy put herself in the passenger seat of the batmobile. He turned and regarded her. As if reading his mind, her voice filled the space between them.

"I only care about Harley. The car be damned."

He lowered the form against Ivy, and she put a protective arm around her. He sat behind the wheel, and the cover closed above them. In an instant, they were on their way. Ivy's hard eyes looked out to the street as it blurred by. Her arms tightened around Harley and she closed her eyes.

_Let her live.

* * *

_

The car came to a stop outside a white facility what seemed like only moments later. Normally it would be dark this time of night, but there was a light emanating from within. The cover opened again and Batman exited the vehicle. In a swift motion, he had Harley in his arms and he approached the doors of the building. Ivy scrambled out of the cab and it hissed closed as she left the interior. A doctor opened the door for Batman and his patient and watched with curious eyes as they walked past her. She then glanced at the tired, blood splattered form of Ivy as she approached. Her eyebrows creased. Ivy merely glanced at her and moved to catch up with the pair.

The room was a bustle of activity. A stretcher sat ready and waiting for the cargo the be unloaded. Batman carefully placed the woman onto the bed and stepped back. Nurses then whisked the form away down the hall, to be treated. The doctor that held the door for them stepped up beside him.

"It's not like you to help the rogues, Batman."

Ivy, who stood looking solemnly at the doors that swung, turned an eye on the doctor.

"It was a severe case, Martha."

The doctor nodded and regarded Ivy. "Did you bandage her?"

"Yes."

Martha nodded. "You can wait in the lounge, we'll take care of her."

Ivy's icy green eyes regarded her. "You had better." And she turned on her heel and walked to the room with the word 'lounge' above it.

Martha looked to Batman. "How'd you get mixed up in this?"

He turned to her with an almost imperceptible grin. "She used the bat signal."

* * *

Hours dragged on and echoed around Ivy. The lounge was silent, save for the buzzing of a light down the hall. She had paced a rut in the floor by this point and was anxiously awaiting any news on Harley's condition. A while ago, Ivy had noticed Batman was no longer in the building.

_Probably off saving Gotham from another group of idiots._

Suddenly the door creaked as it was opened, and Martha came walking in. Her young face was tired, yet held a pleased looked. She was removing her cap and mask as she walked into the room. Her brown eyes looked over Ivy. The woman was shaken and drawn, her eyes full of so many emotions. The doctor could feel the uneasiness of the situation radiating from in front of her, as she offered a small smile.

"Harley will be fine, with time."

Unaware that Batman had somehow entered the room, she was startled to hear his voice from behind her.

"What was the damage?"

The doctor sighed and ran a hand through her messy bangs. "A concussion, 7 broken ribs, a fractured elbow, a great amount of lacerations, severe blood loss, a few bruised internal organs, a dislocated shoulder, and there's signs of r--"

"I know." Ivy's voice begged no continuation. The room around her began to dim.

Martha's brows furrowed and she frowned. "We patched her up, gave her shots to help with infection, morphine for the pain. There was brain swelling, but with time it should go down. She'll heal."

Ivy felt the tension leave her body and her knees almost give way. She felt light headed and dizzy but she knew one thing. Harley was going to live. She again heard Batman speak, and turned to glance at him.

"Good, doctor. Thank you. I'd like her kept here until she heals. The press shouldn't catch wind of this." His eyes regarded Ivy. "See that Ivy gets visitation as well."

Martha nodded. "Of course, Batman. She's in good hands."

Ivy looked again at Martha and then to Batman. Her pride had already been bruised, but she still looked at Batman for a moment, hoping to convey the gratitude she felt.

"No need to thank me."

Martha smiled and Ivy simply turned her head. "Can I see Harley now?"

The doctor smiled. "Of course." Her eyes tracked behind Ivy. "He's certainly a slippery one."

Ivy only nodded and followed her out of the room.

* * *

It was sunrise by the time Ivy stepped foot into Harley's room. The blonde was hooked up to numerous machines that beeped in their own abstract rhythm. Her face was pale, which made the bruised eye and swollen lip stand out even more. From under the hospital gown, Ivy could see the beginnings of a set of bandages that probably covered most of Harley's torso. She watched as Harley's chest rose slightly with her breath. Nearing the bed, Ivy pulled up a chair and gently clasped hands with Harley.

"I'm so glad you're alive, Harl. So glad."

Her green eyes tracked the entire length of her body as the gravity of the situation caught up with her. Grasping Harley's hand, she placed a shaking kiss on her knuckles and sobbed out the pent up worry. Shortly thereafter, the red haired woman fell asleep, her head against Harley's hand.

It was a few hours later when the nurse came in the check on her patient. Harley was on the very top floor so that she wouldn't be bothered by much of anyone, except the staff that knew of her presence. Gently shaking the redhead, the nurse smiled inwardly.

"Miss Ivy, darlin', wake up."

Ivy grumbled but begrudgingly opened her eyes. "What?"

The nurse smiled a sweet smile. "There's a bathroom in the locker rooms if you'd like to freshen up. I could give ya a pair of scrubs to wear if ya didn't feel like going back to wherever it is you stay to get clothes."

The southern accent this woman spoke with grated Ivy's nerves, but she had to play nice with the people here. After all, they WERE looking after her Harley.

"Uhm, sure."

With a satisfied nod, she turned and walked out of the room.

Ivy turned to the unconscious Harley. "Great, Harl. Your nurse is as crazy as you are."

Her only response was the beeping of the machines, but that was all she could hope for. It meant Harley was still alive. A few minutes later, the nurse came back with a fresh set of white scrubs and other things Ivy would need to freshen up. Ivy accepted the things with a nod and wandered off to get cleaned up.

After standing under the shower for a good long time, Ivy washed and exited. She dried off and put on the scrubs. They were comfortable and most importantly, clean and not covered in blood. Ivy walked back into Harley's room and noticed nothing had changed. She hung her wet towel on the back of her chair and clasped Harley's hand again. Her thumb brushed the knuckles on Harley's hand as she sighed. For awhile now, Ivy had tried to get the picture of an almost dead Harley out of her mind. Even as she stared at the hospitalized Harley, the image still haunted her. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips to the hand within hers again and thanked the woman in front of her for clinging to life.

* * *

It was a week that passed as Ivy lay asleep again, her head on the bed beside their clasped hands. She felt a small movement in her hand that gently stirred her awake. Tired green eyes looked at the hand in hers and her eyebrows furrowed. She looked at Harley's face for a moment and was pleasantly surprised when she saw Harley's eyebrow twitch.

"Harley? Honey, can you hear me? It's Ivy."

Ivy scooted her chair closer and looked expectantly at Harley. She placed her other hand over her friends and waited a moment. The hand within hers squeezed gently. Ivy's face broke into a small grin.

"Harley, can you open yours eyes?"

For a long moment nothing happened, but Ivy diligently watched Harley's face. Her eyebrows drew and she grunted. Ivy almost sobbed in happiness at the small noise Harley made.

"Come on, baby. I'm right here, Ivy's right here." Her voice cracked with her emotion as Harley struggled to open her eyes.

In an instant, beautiful blue eyes were looking back at her and she let out a tearful gasp when their eyes locked.

"Harley?"

Harley blinked and her eyes tracked to their clasped hands. Her blue eyes made their way back to Ivy's and a small smile spread across her dry lips.

"R--"

Ivy, who was barely containing her tears at seeing her friend open her eyes, smiled. She grabbed at the water beside the bed and helped the woman take a big gulp of it. Harley's head set back against the pillow and her eyes kept steadily looking at Ivy.

"R--" she coughed. "Red."

Ivy nodded quickly and placed the back of Harley's hand against her cheek. She smiled.

"I'm so glad to see you, Harl."

Harley's face changed for a moment and took on a dark countenance. Her blue eyes filled with tears and she silently began to cry. Ivy, noticing the drastic change, felt her heart break.

"Oh, Harl."

Mindful of the wires and tubes and the machines, Ivy crawled lightly into bed and gently pulled Harley to her. She felt the tears, but didn't hear anything of Harley, nor did she feel her body shake. Shortly after getting into bed, Harley had fallen back to sleep. Ivy tried to get out of bed, but quickly noticed Harley's hand held to the hem of her shirt. Ivy smiled sadly.

"I won't leave you, Harley. I'm right here."


	2. Chapter 2

The moon shone brightly through a slit in the curtains to Harley's room. Machines beeped and hummed faintly, blending in with the hushed bustle of the hospital just outside the door. Harley lay sound asleep, Ivy wrapped gently around her. Green eyes suddenly snapped open, the blonde's body convulsing harshly against the woman. Ivy shot to her knees and knelt over Harley, trying to shake the woman into consciousness. Machines beeped erratically around her, only adding to the quickly growing tension in the room.

Doctors and nurses suddenly appeared around the harlequin, one of them gently pushing Ivy off the bed and out of the way. She stood in shock in the corner and watched the doctors try and calm down her friend. In an instant, Harley was screaming and awake, her blue eyes frantically scanning the almost horrific staff surrounding her.

Her eyes watered, her vision black around the edges. Everything she saw was reminiscent of the Joker. The doctor looming over her had a white face and bright red lips cracked into a sadistic smile. Quickly jumping from face to face, Harley realized the entire room was filled with Joker faces. In her haze, she screamed once more.

"NO, Mistah J, please!"

She drew herself into a tight ball. Her eyes flashed quickly around the room as her body shook in fear of the Joker's wrath. The staff around her was baffled and tried to coax the woman out of her hysterics. Seeing the situation spinning out of control, Ivy pushed away a nurse and took hold of Harley.

"Harley! Harley, it's Ivy. Listen to me, you're safe, the Joker isn't here. You're in a hospital. Harley, please listen to me." Her hands rested on the shoulders of the frightened woman.

Harley, feeling the hands on her, looked at the face mere inches from her own. The Joker had his hands on her and his smile seemed almost carnal in the darkness, his malicious face a glowing beacon in the abyss around them. The lips moved, though she heard no sound. She watched his face spread even wider and his gloved hand produce a knife as he moved to strike. Harley cried out in fear.

"Don't, Mistah J! I'm sorry! Don't hurt me no more, please!"

Ivy grabbed Harley's face to shake her and made her look her in the eyes. "Harley, LOOK at me! It's Ivy!" Her emerald eyes brimmed with tears. Slowly she saw the blue eyes begin to focus and she blinked rapidly.

"Red?" Her voice was shaky and hoarse and gave way to a deep fear rooted within her.

"Yes, honey. It's me, I promise it's me."

Harley launched herself so quickly and forcefully at Ivy, she was momentarily stunned. The harlequin had snapped and popped wires in her ditch effort to seek the comfort in Ivy. The nursing staff stood in shocked silence at the sobbing woman and Ivy's look of concern.

Carefully, and mindful of the many injuries, Ivy wrapped her arms around Harley.

"It's okay, Harl, you're safe now. It was a nightmare. It wasn't real."

Ivy held Harley to her, but gently put the woman back further into her bed. Ivy felt the warm feel of blood on her hands, probably broken stitches at the sudden movement. Harley's sobbing slowly receded and Ivy placed her further into the bed. Harley unfurled from Ivy's frame and sat down in her bed, her blue eyes looking at the ground. Ivy pushed the messy bangs from Harley's face and lifted her head to look at her. Harley's eyes were diverted and her eyebrows drawn. Ivy smoothed away the wrinkles at the blonde's forehead, momentarily forgetting the people in the room around her.

"Baby, they have to take care of you now. You popped out of your IVs, and broke some stitches. Okay? Can you do that for me?"

The blonde nodded and Ivy released her face. She saw the face then go blank and her blue eyes distant as the doctors fixed up what needed to. Harley then numbly slid back in her bed, after switching her hospital gown, and laid down. Ivy watched her with worried eyes, noticing Harley's sparkle had somehow vanished. Within moments, the woman was asleep.

As the staff cleared the room, with the doctor requesting any information on her condition, Ivy was again left in the silence of the room, the malice echoing around her. She glanced at Harley, noticing how she seemed disturbed, her body painfully tense. Anger welled in the pit of Ivy's stomach when her mind wandered to the Joker. Would he haunt her forever? And what was that episode? She had seen with her own eyes that Harley was wide awake, but in a fantasy.

And then it hit her.

_Crane._

Ivy felt a new surge of her fury and she struggled to control it. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply a few times. She opened her eyes and looked again at Harley. She slowly approached the chair she had taken recent refuge in and sat down. She ran the backs of her fingers down Harley's tense forearm and sighed. Her eyes glanced at the clock.

_3 o'clock in the fucking morning. _

Out of reflex, Ivy's hands wrapped around Harley's before she willed herself to relax and attempt sleep once more.

* * *

It was 4 hours later that the sun coming through the curtains woke Ivy. She lifted her head and rubbed at the spot where her hand had been. Harley was awake in bed, her body sitting stiffly in the center, her eyes a vacant stare. Ivy stood and moved to stand in the way of Harley's vision. The form did not shift. Worried, Ivy approached Harley and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Harley?"

With exaggerated slowness, the empty blue eyes locked onto worried green. Ivy almost cried out at the look in the woman's eyes. There was nothing behind them. Her Harley was buried under pain and torment, a psychological spell that caused her to see the Joker everywhere she looked. Transfixed, Ivy did not hear the door open and a man enter.

"I gave her a shot to try and combat the fear gas."

Ivy jumped at the sudden noise and looked at the man. He offered a humorless smile.

"The medication does not take away the gas, that is in her system. It only deters it for an amount of time. In about 3 hours, the fear will return. She will be monitored to be sure the fear does not resurface in the time it takes for her to heal." Absently, he adjusted his glasses.

Ivy's eye twitched. She slowly approached the man and looked up at him. "If you find Batman, you find the antidote."

The man was undeterred by the obvious danger in her voice. "Pardon me, I lost his number."

Ivy, at her wits end and under a great deal of stress barely contained the punch her wanted to throw in his face. Instead she turned back to look at Harley.

"So keeping her in this numb stupor is better for her health?"

"Wouldn't you agree?"

Ivy's nerves grated at the detached way in which he spoke about her friend. "I'd prefer some form of Harley behind those eyes, not a simple lump of flesh with no memories. Does she even know who I am?"

The doctor again smiled an empty smile. "What does it matter if she does. She can do as she sees fit when her body heals. Our main concern right now is her physical health."

"What good is her physical health if her psyche is beyond repair? She'll be doomed to walk this world a broken woman. This isn't the way to help Harley, _doctor_." Her teeth ground together.

His eyes narrowed. "Are you suggesting you allow her to see that maniac in everyone to approach her? That she should be in such a state of progressed fear, that her body suffers from the strain of it? That kind of stress could kill her even faster than if we simply shut her down."

Ivy took a step forward. "That was not your decision to make."

"She's right, it wasn't. Doctor Roberts, would you excuse us?"

The doctor looked once more at Ivy, adjusted his glasses, and left the room. Ivy looked at the doctor and recognized her as the woman who helped that first night.

"Martha."

Pleased, the woman smiled, though it was sad. "I'd like to apologize about him. This procedure was simply a trial basis. But seeing the results, I've decided not to go forward with treatment."

Ivy nodded. "Good. I don't like it. You have ties with Batman, can't--"

Martha put her hand up and her smiled widened slightly. "Wrong, Ms. Isley. He has connections to me, not the other way around."

Ivy sighed angrily and ran a hand through her hair. She glanced again at Harley, then back at the doctor. "I'd like to claim responsibility for Harley."

She smiled. "I figured you would. I'd like to ask you if you would be against us putting her in a medically induced coma in order for her body to heal. Her brain would be in working order, but she wouldn't be in conscious thought and be affected by Dr. Crane's gas."

Ivy grimly nodded. "That will work for now. If you'll excuse me, I have something to take care of. Watch over her for me, doctor." And Ivy exited the room. Martha looked after her after she had left. Her brown eyes looked to Harley.

"What a mess."

* * *

After leaving the hospital, Ivy went back to her hideout. Walking in, she noticed the tattered suit that lay in pieces on the floor. The table still had a dark stain in the center and bloodied rags littered the floor around it. Ivy again couldn't bear to look at the scene and angrily dismantled it. She threw Harley's suit away in the garbage, and threw the table to a large, carnivorous plant in the center of her greenhouse. The bloodied rags and things were gathered and thrown away as well. Ivy opened a few windows to let in a breeze to try and clear the room of the claustrophobia she was suddenly feeling. Putting her hands in her hair and sighing, Ivy approached the closet. Quickly donning her costume, she got into her car and went in the direction of the Iceberg Lounge and Gotham's resident source for underground information.

Ivy strolled casually into the lounge, her inner turmoil masterfully concealed behind an icy mask. Penguin appeared in front of her and looked up into her stony countenance.

"Ah, Ivy dear. What brings you to my lovely establishment? Business? Pleasure?" His teeth glistened eerily in the low light.

"Business. I know you're neck deep in rogue gossip, Penguin, and I'd like to know anything there is to know about Jonathan Crane and where I can find him. Word is he's out."

His beady eyes glimmered with the guilty pleasure of a thick piece of gossip. "I'll trade you. Information on Crane if you tell me what I want to know about your Har--"

Half of the name managed to sneak out before Ivy had him by his bow tie. "I'm not here to play."

Glaring at her and slapping her hand away with an umbrella, he bristled. "I run a business here, Ivy. Why should I just give you information when I receive nothing in return."

Ivy glowered and stepped forward. Her voice was low and controlled. "Consider living your trade off."

He smirked. "You don't frighten me, girl. But I do have some respect for you." His eyes glowed. "Crane's in with the Joker, I take it. Or you wouldn't be standing here in my place."

Ivy nodded tightly.

He smirked. "Please, take a seat. I have Selina waiting for me with a trade, and then I will see to you."

Without waiting for her to reply, he turned and walked back to a table. Ivy's green eyes made out the seductress form of Selina Kyle and her eyes trained piercingly on her. Holding the gaze for a moment, Ivy then turned and sat quietly at a table off to the side. A waiter came around inquiring her order, but she sent him away.

A short time later, Penguin came to her table, an angry look on his face. "Lousy money grinder, that woman." He looked at the pure fury across from him and quickly shut his mouth on the subject.

"Scarecrow, Penguin." she leaned forward.

He nodded. "News from Eddie that the last time Joker was in Arkham, he and Crow made a... business deal, if you will. No one knew what it was at the time. But now it seems to have been about your Harley." he stopped for a moment. "Is it true she's dead?"

Impatient, Ivy responded. "No. Quit stalling. Either you know or you don't."

Again offended by the plant mistress, he lit a cigarette and blew a ring away from Ivy. "Jervis was the only one with a slight inkling, but he's in Arkham. And we're not." He smirked at his own mocking tone.

Ivy blew out a frustrated breath. "I know you communicate with the imprisoned rogues, Penguin. What are you trying to hide? Don't tell me you're in cahoots with that maniac."

Penguin almost squawked at the accusation. "Certainly not. He's no friend of mine, you and I both know that." he said indignantly.

"Then why the secrecy? No one in Arkham likes Joker, what could he have to offer Crane?" her fingers drummed idly on the table top. Squeezing him in a vine hold might get him to talk faster.

Penguin smiled. "What, indeed."

Her eyes cut to him sharply, catching the light dangerously in the restaurant. "I won't hesitate to strangle you."

He took a drag on his cigarette. "I told you, Ivy. I run a business. And right now, I garner no profit from this exchange."

Ivy, having to throw all her inhibitions out the window already, ground her teeth. She hefted a small bag onto the table and glared at the grating man in font of her. "Here."

His smiled turned impish and he grabbed greedily at the bag. He opened it and out tumbled the Gotham Diamond. His eyes lit up. "Oh, this had disappeared some time ago, yes indeed."

Ivy waved her hand dismissively. "Harley stole it. We never needed it. Kept it for show, I guess. Now talk."

He pocketed the rock and smiled a malicious smile. "In a cove off of the docks, there's an entrance. It leads under to the asylum. Few people know about it, the Bat included. The network of tunnels under that place are all connected, except one. Find it, and you find Crane."

Ivy smiled. "Good. Thanks."

* * *

Ivy walked back to her car parked a block from the Iceberg Lounge. As she reached for the handle, she heard a rustle behind her. Not in a Bat-friendly mood, she sighed and turned to regard him seriously.

"Batman."

"What were you doing at Iceberg, Ivy? Shouldn't you be with Quinn?"

She exhaled and kept a sharp look on the caped crusader. "I was finding out information. All in regards to Harley."

"I know that Quinn's feeling the effects of fear gas. But it's a different strand than what you're used to."

She was skeptical for a moment. But then again, this was Batman. "How is it different?"

"It's laced with laughing gas."

Ivy's eyes flared at the statement. "You mean to tell me she'll be made mad, after she's been petrified to death? That's an awful idea."

"That's the point."

"Crane will suffer for this. Just as soon as I get to him."

"Going into those tunnels wouldn't do you any good, Ivy. You wouldn't know where to look."

She growled and turned on him. "What would you have me do, then? Let this mad man control Harley until there's nothing left to save?"

"Take care of Quinn." He turned his back. "Let me worry about Crane, Ivy." And with that he was gone.

In her aggravation, she kicked a tire and let out a scream into the hollow street around her.

"So help me, Joker. When I find you. You're mine."


	3. Chapter 3

The Bat be damned as Ivy traipsed through the murky, knee high water in the Arkham tunnels. She couldn't sit by and wait for the Dark Knight to do everything for her. And besides, this was highly personal. Not only was another rogue at Joker's side, it was a highly dangerous one at that. She had been walking in the tunnels for hours now, each turn coming out as a dead end or another part of an endless circle. She used seedlings to mark where she had been and where she was going, though crossing the paths would soon cause organized chaos.

She hissed as she stepped on an sharp object. Leaning against the rusted interior of the tunnel, she checked what she had stepped on. A shard of glass jutted out of her foot, and with a growl she yanked it out. Her hair was matted with grime and water, her green costume stained brown from the less than honorable surroundings. The longer it took to find Scarecrow, the worse his death would become. Suddenly a noise echoed down the tunnel she leaned against. Silencing completely, Ivy listened. Her green eyes lit up.

_Bingo._

Controlling her urge to run, Ivy stalked slowly and deliberately toward the source of the sound. Her smile only widened when the she realized the other person was headed straight toward her, and what was even better, probably hadn't realized Ivy was even there.

She stopped in the center of a wooden board and clenched her fist. She had dropped a seed into the water a second before, and it sat below the surface waiting for its mistress to summon it.

Crane came tearing around the corner and stopped in his tracks. A disheveled, and highly aggravated Ivy stood before him. His bright yellow eyes narrowed and his nightmarish voice echoed around them.

"Well, if it isn't Poison Ivy. Come to find me, hm? I guess you figured me out from Harley." his laughter shot through Ivy like a hot knife.

Ivy bared her teeth in a feral snarl. "Where's Joker?"

Scarecrow slunk forward, his stitched mouth a criminal smile. "As if I would tell you?" he waved his gloved hand at Ivy, the orange fear gas bubbling through his finger tubes. The points glistened against the lights of the tunnel, casting a sparkle off the cool metal. He cackled.

Ivy laughed in kind. He had yet to realize the vines creeping up the wall of the tunnel behind him, and Ivy hoped he never would. "I never pictured you as a partner type, Scarecrow. Especially with that madman."

His laugh ground out again as he slunk forward once more. "I'm using the sap for his gas. I could kill everyone in Gotham." He offered a pointed finger to Ivy. "_Everyone_."

Ivy's eyes offered no humor. "What did you do to Harley."

His laugh again echoed eerily around them. "Joker's got one very important thing on his mind right now, and that's making the 'traitorous bitch' suffer." He tapped a spindle on his hand with his forefinger. "And you know how I so enjoy personal torment."

She nodded and watched Scarecrow's smile twist up his masked face.

"You know..." he added. "It's a wonderfully brilliant concept. People laughing at themselves as their fear destroys all they hold dear. Memories, friends..." his face darkened with another smile. He took another step toward Ivy and now stood on the same floating base. "Exactly what will become of that bastard Harley Quinn." He cackled again.

Ivy's fury suddenly came out, the plant flaring and coming to instantaneous life. It grew rapidly and before Scarecrow could react to the sudden presence, it wrapped barbed tentacles around him. It squeezed him tightly and he let out a muffled scream. The plant squeezed again and lowered the man to Ivy's eye level. Her emerald eyes burned with unbridled fury and pure hatred.

"Where is the antidote, Crane?"

He growled. "What antidote?"

The vines squeezed him tighter and he grunted against the force crushing his ribcage. "Don't kid me. I don't mind torturing you at all. In fact," she grinned a malicious grin as her precious plant squeezed tighter, the barbs lengthening and skewering Scarecrow all over his body. He writhed and screamed at the sudden pain that seared through him.

"Crane, dear." She circled him. "There's poison being pumped into your system as we speak. Deadly if not treated. Now, either you talk now. Or I continue until you break. Your choice."

His eyes followed her as she paced languidly in front of him. His blood flowed over the vines and dripped down his entire length, dripping into the putrid water below him. The red spread rapidly through the tunnel, soon surrounding them entirely. For minutes, he merely looked at her, his mouth firmly shut. Growling, she stopped and tapped her foot.

The barbs writhed in his skin, screwing and twisting deeper into his flesh. Blood bubbled out past them and dribbled faster down the already laid trails of blood. He felt the vines squeeze him even tighter and his breath escaped in a forced exhale. He panted against the force, seemingly unable to gather air into his lungs. The vines wrapped tighter around his legs, grounding his knees painfully together. He looked up at her again.

"Joker has it."

She smirked. "Where is he?"

"Who knows. We rarely kept contact. He popped in whenever he wanted to. Told me to stay down here so no one would find me." his voice was rasping.

Her face contorted into a scowl. "You know where to find him, Crane, don't lie to me."

The barbs thickened and prodded deeper into his body. A vine then wrapped around his neck, the tips of thick barbs cutting the ends of his mask and slicing his flesh. Blood gurgled from his mouth and he coughed.

"He's in one of his hideouts. Don't ask me one, they change daily. Now let go of me, you sadist slut." his glowing yellow eyes zoomed in on her.

Her eyes burned through him. "And let you escape to him? Not a chance." She prepared the vines to squeeze him slowly tighter and then let the poison course through his veins. She wanted to watch him suffer until his last seconds. Wanted to, before she saw twin batarangs fly past her and cut the plant down. Scarecrow fell to the board with a wet thump, sending an unsteady wave through the tunnel. Ivy's eye turned on Batman as she growled deep in her throat. She watched as he approached her.

"You should have let me kill him."

He didn't say a word as he walked past her. Scarecrow was barely conscious as Batman hoisted him up to his knees by the back of his collar. He put his hands together behind his back and forced him to stay on his knees beside him. He swayed but did not fall. Batman turned back to Ivy.

"I could have you put in Arkham for this. Then what of Quinn?"

She blew out an indignant breath. "No civilians were in trouble. Just him. Last time I checked, you rarely cared about wars between the rogues."

He didn't answer as he hefted Scarecrow to his feet. "I'm taking him up to Arkham." He walked the man past Ivy, but stopped. He turned to her. "The poison?"

She growled and walked forward. "Figure it out."

* * *

Batman waited as the doors to Arkham slid open, admitting him and his weakened charge. Getting out of the tunnels had been relatively easy for him, and getting Scarecrow fixed and put back into a cell was the main thing on his mind. Ivy would not hurt anyone as long as Harley was still in the hospital, nor would she be a menace while she looked for the antidote. Walking the staggering man to the security gates, he noticed Commissioner Gordon walk toward him.

His left hand gestured to the man. "What happened to him?"

"Ivy."

Jim's eyebrow lifted. "Ivy? What problems does she have with him?"

Batman walked forward after clearance was granted, making sure Crane was in personnel custody before turning to the waiting man. "There's an underground ring of information traveling through the rogue network, Jim. She needed something from him."

He looked after the retreating medical team. "And she roughed him up that bad?"

Batman remained silent.

"Do you know what's going on with the villains, Batman?"

"It's all related to Joker."

* * *

Ivy walked onward, following the path she most suspected to be the one Scarecrow had used. After a half hour of searching, she came upon a tunnel ten feet above water level, a small water fall coming off the lip. Growing a plant, she easily reached the shelf and stepped off gently to the inlaid room. It was darker the further she walked, the tunnel lights only extending so far. At the edge of the light, there was a door to her left. Pulling on the heavy metal handle, it opened and she slid inside.

The room was cavernous and ascended into an inky black. The light flickered every so often, casting the broken materials on the floor in eerie shadow. A table off to the far right had equipment that bubbled and simmered, the computers beeping and calculating statistics. Clicking a button on the keyboard, Ivy searched through the database, looking for any means of an antidote. Her eyes scanned screen after screen, each one a different stage or component of the combined gases. Each experiment was detailed, as was each failure. She looked around the desk beside her, taking in the large machine that held the concoction and was sealed off. The valve allowed for canisters to be filled, giving the pressurized gas an easier way to then be carried. Stacks of the purple and green canisters lined the far wall. Leaving the computer for a moment, Ivy walked to an obscure corner, noticing another door. Opening it allowed a green light to cast a shaft across the cavern. Ivy noticed two large vats of the chemical behind a sealed glass wall. Her green eyes followed tubes along the ceiling and wall to the room she had just vacated, which explained the source of the pressurized tubes for loading the canisters. Leaving the room, she went back to the computer.

_So Crane does all the work and Joker just takes what he wants. Typical._

She scanned more pages and finally came upon the chemical components, down to a very T, of the successful formula combination. Her thoughts were calculating how to combat the components and what antidote she could concoct, and she tried thinking of a way to get a sample of the liquid form. Turning, she jumped slightly.

Irritated, she crossed her arms. "Can I put a bell on you?"

He did not smirk. His eyes scanned the images on the screen. "I'll make the antidote for Quinn and Gotham."

"I don't care about Gotham."

Passing her, he went to the computer and looked through a few other pages. Taking a photograph of the screens with his cowl, he stored the information he would need to access later at the batcave.

"I have the equipment needed, Ivy."

She looked at him and then closed her eyes for a moment. "Don't you always?"

"Will you listen this time?"

She smirked at herself, blatantly ignoring his threat to leave Crane for him. "You're just mad I've been a step ahead of you." She turned to leave. "Maybe they should make ME the hero." She closed the door behind her.

He grinned.

* * *

With having to gather the plants she used as markers and then getting back to the docks and her car, it was already two hours later. Her entire outing away from Harley had taken all evening and all night, as now it was almost sunrise. Ivy grunted as she sat behind the wheel of her car and started the engine. The gray of the morning twilight matched the mood she was in after what she had been through. Speeding back to her hideout, she jumped into the scalding water of her shower. She scrubbed her body free of the grime she gathered whilst walking the tunnels in search of Crane. Her skin shivered and developed goosebumps at the mere thought of him. Stepping out of the shower and grabbing a towel, she exited the bathroom. Tucking the towel against herself, she walked around her apartment, taking care of her plants that she almost felt she was ignoring. For background noise, Ivy clicked on the news.

As she walked around her house, she paid careful attention to each of her babies as she felt herself lightly relax. Her mind strayed to Harley and she felt her heart constrict. Hearing something interesting on the news, her focus shifted to the screen. She grimaced at what she saw.

The sweet, young news anchor normally looked bright and cheery, but apparently animal cruelty is one of her buttons. Ivy listened closely as she recanted what was currently going on in Gotham.

"And our breaking news story this morning is terror on the streets in the form of three feral hyenas. Animal control and local law enforcement are still trying to wrangle the beasts without causing them too much harm..."

Ivy clicked the TV off. Harley's babies were not only now roaming Gotham, but they too were horribly beaten. Discarding her towel, Ivy donned jeans and one of Harley's red tank tops before she got back behind the wheel of her pink convertible and headed toward center city Gotham.

Arriving at the scene, she noticed three cops attempting to corner the beasts, who snarled and growled at them. It was more defensive than anything, and though Ivy didn't much care for the animals, her heart went out to them. She walked up to one of the main officers and tapped him on his shoulder. Turning, his face automatically contorted into one of fear as he shakily brandished his sidearm. Sighing, she waved her hand in the direction of the dogs.

"I'm here for those three." she pointed.

"Wh-what for? They're vicious killers!"

She rolled her eyes. "No, they're not. Any idiot can see they've been abused. Just let me take them."

His gun didn't move from its position on her, but the shaking only got worse. "G-go ahe-ahead if you w-w-wanna get bitten."

Ignoring the useless lump of "public service" flesh, she walked toward the three. She stopped behind the cops and blew hair from her face. "Move."

One of the cops turned and jumped, tapping the other two and moving out of the way. She heard them mumble among themselves.

"Holy Jesus, it's Poison Ivy!"

Again she rolled her eyes. She looked at the dogs in front of her, all of them warily regarding her with their dark eyes. She whistled at them, and one of them wagged his tail absently.

"Come on, mutts. Let's go."

The three of them followed behind her as best they could. She noticed one had a limp and the other two were missing patches of hair. The third had a large gash on its shoulder and Ivy inwardly sighed. Opening the door to her convertible, she watched as they piled into her car. Starting the ignition, she turned around and headed back to her home and to the garage.

She took care of them as best she could and fed them, after stopping off to buy them some meat. The dogs taken care of, she headed back in the direction of the hospital and, finally, toward Harley.

* * *

Ivy approached the room where Harley was, having taken the service elevator to avoid detection. The nurse with the accent was just leaving Harley's room and she smiled.

"Mornin', Miss Ivy. Thought you'd never come back."

Her eyebrow twitched of its own accord. "I had things to take care of. How is she?"

"Sleepin', like Doctor Miller wanted." she blew a bubble with her gum.

"Thanks."

She side stepped the nurse and entered Harley's room. The blonde lay just as before, on her back and unmoving. Her monitors beeped in that familiar way that Ivy had come to take refuge in. Pulling up her chair, she clasped Harley's hand and kissed the back.

"You'll never guess who I found wandering Gotham, Harl." She stopped and laughed quietly, moving a strand of Harley's hair between the fingers on her free hand. "Your babies. They're going to be so glad to see you when you come home."

Harley didn't move to respond, but Ivy was glad she looked better than she did. "I'll be right here from now on, Harley. Crane's out of the way. We just need to focus on..." She couldn't bring herself to say his name, the memory of it scratched on Harley's back flashing into her mind. She heard a gentle knock at the door. She turned to notice Martha.

"I hope I'm not intruding?"

"No, of course not. How is she doing?"

"Better. Her internal organs are slowly coming back to full capacity. Her ribs will take some time. After all, she jostled them pretty bad when she jumped out of bed at you. The cuts and bruises are healing nicely. It's just the.. the poison in her system that we're concerned about."

Ivy looked to Harley again before she glanced back at Martha. "That's being taken care of as we speak."

"Oh?"

Ivy laughed again, truly shocked at what had transpired over the past two weeks. "Batman's working on the antidote."

Martha nodded. "So he found Crane?"

Ivy grinned at the doctor, though it was amused. "After I beat him to a bloody pulp."

Warn brown eyes lit up as the doctor laughed. "You certainly do assert your way, don't you?"

Ivy sobered a moment. "When it comes to Harley, I'll do anything."

Martha nodded and smiled knowingly, though it went unnoticed as Ivy turned away. "I came to see how you were doing. Wendy said you'd finally come back." She turned to leave. "Harley will be just fine with you at her side, Ivy."

The green skinned woman turned to regard the doctor, but found she had gone. Ivy glanced again at Harley and smiled. "Just fine."


	4. Chapter 4

Martha was walking her rounds, checking her patients for the night before she would be off for home and much needed rest. Keeping Harley Quinn at a stable level had been taxing, the confused rogue's mind playing dangerous tricks on her broken body. But currently she slept quietly, the green skinned Ivy at her side to whisper words that would help bring her out of the nightmarish haze. The doctor sighed and placed her glasses on her head. She rubbed the bridge of her nose before whirling in response to the sudden voice beside her. The glasses fell from their perch, skidding a few feet away.

"Heavens, Batman, don't scare me like that." She placed a hand above her heart.

"Sorry, Martha." He held up a red vial. "This is the antidote for Quinn. The effects are relatively fast."

She took the vial from his gloved hand and inspected it. It had a port to be applied intravenously. She nodded her approval. "Ivy said you were working on an antidote. I'm glad you could come up with one so quickly."

He nodded.

"I'll give this to her right away." She turned to walk towards the elevator, but turned back. "Thank... you."

He was gone.

* * *

Ivy was tired, but her vigil over Harley would not allow her to sleep. Green eyes swept the form of her friend, noticing more on the woman as she slept with each passing turn. She focused on the beeping around her, thankful for it to fill the silence and her thoughts with the reassurance. Her thumb absently rubbed Harley's hand, keeping rhythm with the beep of the heart monitor mounted on the wall. She saw a silhouette fall over the room and heard a knock on the frame of the door. She turned, nodding her head at the doctor.

Martha entered the room and flicked the light on, giving her a better view of the web of wires surrounding Harley's bed. Pulling the vial out of her coat pocket, she added the liquid to an IV line suspended beside a few others. Ivy watched with curious eyes as the liquid slowly drained and fed into the tube in Harley's hand. Martha turned to her.

"Batman came with the antidote. He said the effects are quick." Nurses and other staff slowly filed into the room. "We're going to take her out of the coma. If all goes well, she should be fully conscious within the hour."

Ivy nodded her head, watching the last of the liquid disappear under Harley's skin.

Martha motioned to the staff and they moved accordingly, each falling into a routine that they may have seen dozens of times. "She'll be her regular self, albeit pained and groggy. But no more nightmares." She smiled.

Ivy tilted her head to look at the woman. She offered a nod to her.

Martha motioned for Ivy to vacate her spot for a moment as the staff moved to undo whatever was done to Harley to keep the woman sleeping. Moments later, the staff left the room as quietly as they had come and Ivy looked after them at their retreat.

"You said she'll be awake within the hour?"

Martha nodded. "Yes. As I mentioned, she'll be groggy, and most likely in pain. The morphine may be wearing off, but I'll have more pain killers brought up for her to take." She placed a clipboard under her arm and smiled at Ivy. "As for me, I'm going home."

Ivy offered a small smile. "Good night, then, doctor."

"Good night."

Martha left the room, leaving Harley and Ivy to themselves. Ivy was suddenly filled with nervous energy. After almost two weeks in the hospital, Harley would be able to wake up to normal surroundings and attempt to function like a normal human being. Ivy sat on the bed next to Harley, her fingers tracing the pale arm.

"Come on, Harl. I know you're in there. Wake up." She watched Harley's face for any signs of consciousness.

Ivy was content to sit on the bed beside her friend and wait for her to open her eyes. Still Ivy held her hand lightly in her own, her thumb keeping a steady motion against Harley's knuckles. 45 minutes after the nurses had left, Ivy noticed Harley's eyes flutter. Her face cracking a wide grin, Ivy almost chuckled.

"Harley, dear. Wake up."

Harley's face twisted up and she grunted. "I dun wanna." She tossed her head to the side.

Ivy smiled and lightly tugged on the hand in her grasp. "Harley."

She cracked a blue eye open and regarded Ivy. She closed it. "My head hurts."

Ivy used her free hand to run through Harley's bangs and smooth away the lines of her eyebrows. "Please?"

Harley opened both of her eyes and groaned. She squeezed Ivy's hand and glanced around the room. "Where're we at, Red?" Her voice was raspy and dry.

Her green eyes wandered Harley's face before answering. "A hospital." she answered quietly.

Gently removing her hand from Ivy's, she attempted to push herself up to a sitting position. She let out a cry of pain that she felt shoot through her rib cage and settle in the back of her skull. She moaned loudly and squeezed her eyes shut. In a moment, Ivy had her hands on Harley's shoulders.

"Goodness, Harley, don't do that!" She looked to the side of the bed and clicked a button, slowly raising the woman to a sitting position. Offering a pillow, she propped it up behind Harley. Blue eyes scanned the room before glancing down at herself and at the machines beside her. Her expression was one of heartbroken realization. Slowly, tearful blue eyes looked back at Ivy's sorrowful emerald gaze.

"This is a mess, huh?"

Ivy cracked a small grin for her friend. "Nothing we can't handle, right?"

Harley offered a small grin herself, but she sobered and looked at her right arm. It was in a sling and tight against her body, her shoulder unable to move without uncomfortable pain.

"Your elbow's fractured, and your shoulder was dislocated."

Bleary azure eyes closed for a moment as Harley released a shuddering breath. She felt Ivy put a hand on her shoulder and with the only hand she could move, placed it over Ivy's.

"Was it bad?" Her voice was a pained whisper.

Ivy watched Harley's face, her eyes tearing slightly at the memory of Harley the night she was found.

"Yes. When I found you, I didn't think.."

Harley's eyes snapped open and locked onto the teary green eyes of her very best friend in all the world. Her eyes watered almost instantly upon seeing the heartache written plainly across Ivy's face.

"Aw, Red..." she squeezed the hand she held.

Ivy felt her resolve weaken almost completely as she fought hard against the tears she could feel stinging her eyes. "It's not right, Harley. It's not. No one deserves that."

Harley's eyes lowered to the bed, her hand pulling absently from Ivy's to a thread attached to her hospital sheet. She shut her eyes, trying to block out the images and feelings from that night that suddenly flooded her senses. She opened her eyes and felt for the button on the side of her bed. Hitting the proper one, she felt herself slowly being lowered back down. Her sides were on fire and she felt every cut and gash protest at being moved, even slightly.

Tugging Ivy's hand, she made the woman lay beside her. Ivy had successfully fought back her tears and lay down beside her friend with an exhausted sigh. Harley positioned herself to put her head on Ivy's shoulder and grasp the woman's hand with her free one. Ivy put her cheek softly against the top of Harley's head. She felt Harley sigh against her collarbone.

"Tomorrow, Harley."

She felt the blonde nod before both drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Ivy awoke just as the sun's first rays touched the end of Harley's bed. She glanced down at the blonde that was tucked carefully next to her and a small grin formed as she realized Harley was snoring. Their position from last night had changed in the small fact that Ivy's arm was now around Harley and that Harley's free hand was resting lightly on Ivy's stomach. Startled from her own world, Ivy set an icy look at the intruder.

"Wendy."

"Pardon me, Miss Ivy, I was comin' to check on our Harley there." she gestured with her hand. "I'm assumin' she woke up last night?"

Ivy nodded, her arm around Harley tightening slightly. Harley mumbled at the pressure and snuggled deeper into Ivy's neck. "Yes, she did." Gently shaking Harley, she whispered, "Harl, you have to wake up now. Your nurse wants to check on you."

Grumpy, Harley opened one of her eyes. Ivy slid out of bed and hoisted the bed up to a sitting position. The blonde looked at her nurse.

"Whaddaya gonna do to me?"

Wendy smiled and approached the rogue. "Just check on ya, darlin'. Make sure everything's workin' right, give ya some medicine, tha's all."

Ivy watched with barely controlled fury as the nurse openly flirted with Harley. Though, to her credit, Harley only did what was asked of her and little else. With an overly exaggerated smile, Wendy put the clipboard at the end of the bed. "Doctor Miller wants to talk to ya this mornin', precious. She'll be up soon to see ya." With a wink, she left the room.

Ivy stood in the corner, her anger flaring. Glancing at Harley, she noticed the drawn look on her face.

"Harley, what's wrong?"

Smiling a little too wide, Harley laughed. "Oh, nothin'. Just a little tired, that's all." She waved her hand dismissively and leaned casually back on the bed, easily hiding a grimace. "Say, you know the doc that wants to see me today, Red?"

Ivy cocked a brow at her. "Uh huh.. she's been taking care of you since me and Batman brought you--"

"Bats! No kiddin', Red? That ol' softy." she chuckled again.

Ivy grinned. "No kidding."

At that moment, Martha walked into the room. "Ivy." She walked to the cheshire Harley and smiled at her. "And good morning to you, I see you're finally awake."

Harley rubbed the back of her head absently. "Yeah," she laughed, "figured I'd been sleepin' enough."

Martha nodded and reviewed the information Wendy had written down for her beforehand. She glanced up at Ivy's skeptical look cast at Harley, then to Harley herself.

"Harley, can you tell me what hurts?"

Harley scrunched her face up in thought for a moment. "My head's KILLIN' me, doc." Her smile spread. "But other'an that, I'm ready to party!" She put a peace sign up to the doctor and winked.

Ivy, who watched the entire exchange, cringed inwardly.

_Harley's far too happy._

Martha, none the wiser, laughed. "Marvelous. I'd like to keep you up for the next few days before we release you. Your body just needs time now." She looked to Ivy. "Just make sure she stays in bed as much as she can."

Ivy nodded absently, her eyes searching Harley for any crack in her faulty exterior.

_You and I need to talk, Harl._

Coming from her inner thoughts, she noticed that Martha had left the room again. Shaking off her inability to notice the appearance and disappearance of people, Ivy glanced at Harley. She was quiet, and her eyes focused on the spoon she flicked with her thumb every so often. Harley was hardly ever quiet. Rarely in sleep did the harlequin ever stop snoring, and now for this?

"Harley?"

"Yeah, Red?" Her eyes never left the spoon clasped in her hand.

"Do you know who I found wandering the streets of Gotham?"

Blue eyes looked up at her in silent question.

_This should get her. _"Your babies."

Harley offered a small smile. "So, they're not dead?"

Panicking quietly to herself, Ivy nodded dumbly. "No, they're back at the.. the hide out. I picked them up yesterday morning."

Harley smiled. "Good, I'm glad. I was afraid he'd kill 'em."

Completely crestfallen, Ivy sat down in the chair beside Harley and looked confusedly at her friend. Harley noticed and raised her eyebrow.

"Whasamatter?"

Ivy offered a false smile. "Just all the stress catching up to me, I guess."

Harley nodded but said nothing.

* * *

The next few days were a surreal blur for Ivy. She watched doctor after doctor walk in and out of Harley's room. Her eyes watched Harley easily interact with the staff and answer all the questions she was asked. Ivy walked beside her when Martha finally let the live wire out of her bed. Harley's legs were in working order, though bruises still covered parts of them. Her shoulder was feeling better and she could raise her arm up as best she could with the cast on her elbow. Harley didn't complain once about any pain, which only worried Ivy even more. Harley used to whine for days about a paper cut. The drastic change in her friend was something Ivy wasn't totally expecting.

The day came when Martha felt letting Harley go back home to rest and fully heal was upon them, and at 10 o'clock that night, the three stood outside the rear of the hospital. Batman descended quietly upon them and stepped up beside Martha.

"Quinn, Ivy."

Harley grinned and waved at him. "Hiya, Batsy."

He regarded Ivy. "You know that you two are free to go as of right now, but I _will_ be keeping a close watch on both of you."

Ivy nodded. "Of course. I'm surprised you're even letting us walk out of here."

He shifted. "You're not a threat while Quinn still needs rest."

Ivy's eyes narrowed at the tone he took, but didn't say anything on the subject. Instead, she turned to Harley. "Let's go."

She nodded and looked at the doctor and Batman. She stuck her tongue out. "Thanks a billion, Batsy." She winked at Martha, and grinning, moved to stand beside Ivy.

The plant mistress stood with her arms crossed, but sighed and unfolded them a moment. "Thanks."

With that she turned and walked into the shadows, Harley casting one last backward look before disappearing with her. Martha turned to Batman with a gleam in her eye.

"Did she just thank you?"

He turned toward her and grinned.

* * *

Ivy and Harley pulled up into the hidden outer garage of their hideout and cut the engine. Ivy leaned back and sighed, cracking her bones and running her hand through her hair. Harley sat quietly beside her.

"Welcome home, Harley." Ivy said quietly, her eyes taking in the profile of her friend.

"Thanks, Red." Harley opened her door and stepped out, closing it behind her and turning to regard Ivy. "Comin'?"

Ivy smiled and got out of the car. She walked around to Harley and put her arm around her waist. "Of course."

They walked into the door leading to the garage and the dogs were quickly on their feet and surrounding their mistress, offering wet licks and cold noses as a means for a greeting. Harley smiled and knelt down to pet them all behind the ears before they all sat purposefully in front of her. She stood and looked down at them, their tails wagging. They were healing as well, their fur growing in again and the bandages not as red. Harley's eyebrows creased as tears welled up in her eyes. One of the dogs whimpered and nudged her thigh with his snout, the others following suit. She knelt down again and wrapped her free arm around one of them.

"Glad ta see you guys, too." Her eyes trained on Ivy. "You guys gonna play nice with Red?"

The dogs merely panted and offered more licks as an answer.

Standing again, Harley petted one again before walking between them. "Good babies, huh, Red?"

Ivy smirked. "They better stay that way." She shot a meaningful look to one of them as he responded with an indignant bark. Harley smiled again.

"Aww, they won't hurt nothin'. Promise." Harley placed a peck on Ivy's cheek before walking past her into the greenhouse.

Pleased, Ivy followed. "Harl, why don't you shower while I make us some food. You must be feeling slimy by now."

Harley stopped and turned, thinking a moment. She nodded. "Can ya help me get outta this thing?" She gestured to the scrub she wore.

Ivy helped to wrestle the garment off her friend, careful of the thick cast. Finally taking it off and placing it on her work bench, Ivy turned again to Harley.

"Be careful, Harley. No aerobics for awhile."

Harley merely waved her hand and waited patiently for Ivy to unravel the bandages from her torso. Green eyes caught the angry red letters glaring back at her from the harlequin's pale skin. Dark blue and yellow bruises still covered Harley's back and ribs.

"Let..." she swallowed. "Let the water run on your back, Harley. I'll dress everything when you get out."

Harley looked over her shoulder and nodded. She then walked toward the door into the house and in the direction of the bathroom.

Before she forgot, Ivy called out to her "Harley, don't forget to wrap your cast!"

Suddenly alone in the large room, Ivy crumpled onto the stool at her table. She was going to have to spend so much time trying to whittle Harley into talking and getting out the hurt she knew lurked under those blue eyes. Turning to her work station, Ivy looked at all the plant specimens and bottles. She worked to create another elixir for Harley to drink to help speed the healing process even further. It would only take another week, and Harley would be completely healed and ready to get back to her limber self.

Giving Harley 20 minutes to shower, Ivy took her formula and walked to the door leading into the house. Once inside, her fingers almost dropped the bottle she held. Ivy watched in shocked silence as Harley stood stark naked in front of the mirror, her blue eyes glued to the 'Joker' written across her back. Walking numbly forward, Ivy stepped up in front of Harley. The blonde, noticing Ivy in the mirror, locked eyes with the emerald reflection.

"Whaddaya know, huh?" her voice was thick and quiet.

Ivy's face didn't change, even as Harley turned her to head to honestly look her right in the eyes.

Green eyes offered sympathy, as her mouth was shocked into silence. Harley looked again for a moment before the facade she had adopted over the past few days crumbled along with her body to the floor. Ivy was on her knees in an instant, pulling Harley into her arms to hold her as she sobbed out her heartache. Shifting so that Harley was in her lap, Ivy gently rocked Harley in her arms.

"It'll be okay, Harley. I promise. Everything will be okay."


	5. Chapter 5

_The Joker threw the door to their hideout open, his face a treacherous torrent of anger and displeasure. Harley dutifully followed behind, her eyes pleading and her voice rising an octave in her upset._

_"Please, puddin', don't be mad! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to screw up again, honest!"_

_His dark green eyes turned slowly to rest on his crack-pot assistant. Her eyes watered and a fist was clasped against her black lips._

_"Harley girl, what makes you think I'm mad?" His voice was calm. _

_Her blue eyes sparkled with hope. "Ya mean you're not mad?"_

_His smile stretched and his eyes darkened. He advanced upon her, placing a gloved hand against her cheek. Stroking it for a moment, he then pulled back and landed a hard slap across her face. Her body recoiled as she tumbled to the floor, turning a face filled with shock and hurt toward the Joker, her hand over the stinging cheek. His white face was contorted into an angry mask, his green eyes burning with hatred._

_Taking another step forward, he grabbed one of the points of her hat, hoisting her to her feet. A few of the clown goons entered the room, curious to see yet another fight between the Joker and his toy._

_Yanking the point in his hand, Harley let out a yelp before locking eyes with him. _

_"Do you have _any_ idea how long we have to wait now because of you and your screw ups?" he growled, teeth flashing._

_On the verge of tears, Harley's eyes pleaded with him. "I'm sorry, Mistah J, I promise I won't mess up next time. I'll be extra--"_

_Her words were cut short with a powerful fist to the jaw. Stumbling backward, she landed heavily on her back. Slowly rolling and getting to her knees, she looked up again, blood running down her chin. Without waiting for her and any of her excuses, the Joker had her up by her throat. He grinned._

_"Next time? What makes you so sure there will be a next time?" He threw her back against his waiting goons, an even bigger grin on his face._

_Harley yelped again as she connected with one of the four goons. She was horror stricken, her eyes darting dangerously between the goon and the Joker. _

_"P-please, Mistah J, gimme another chance!"_

_The man that held her clamped a hand over her mouth. Grinning, the Joker walked forward, a large blade in his hands. His smile reflected back at him from the smooth surface and he let out an insane bout of laughter. Stopping a breath away from Harley, he bent down to look into her eyes, tracing the tip of the blade across her jaw._

_"Harley girl, I think you're finished here. Right boys?"_

_The men around her nodded, pressing in tighter around her. She began to struggle and protest, mumbling against the hand that was tight against her mouth. Aggravated at her struggle, the Joker landed a solid punch to her stomach before she was thrown harshly to the floor. She tried crawling away before her legs were grabbed. She was drug back and flipped onto her back, her blue eyes looking up at the 5 men standing above her. She fixated on the gleaming blade in his gloved hands as he lovingly stroked it. Again attempting a means to get away, Harley scrambled backwards, before one of the men jumped at her, grabbing her by her arms and pulling her to her feet. She again fixated on Joker as he approached._

_"I don't think you'll be around much these days, right Harley?"_

_Whimpering, no words came. Staring into the glassy eyes of her Joker, Harley felt the gravity of the situation settle upon her. She struggled again, her legs kicking out in an attempt to free herself._

_"No, Mistah J!"_

_Spitting in anger, he motioned for his men to grab the harlequin, holding her legs in place. She was panting in fear, her eyes constantly on the large blade that waved lazily through the air. He waved the flat blade in front of her eyes before cracking a devilish grin. In a flash, the knife was gone as Harley felt a sickening heat shoot up her stomach and settle in her skull. She coughed at the taste of copper suddenly in her mouth before she looked down at the knife buried to its hilt in her abdomen. With exaggerated slowness, Joker slowly pulled the knife out, a trickle of blood soaking the leg of Harley's suit. With the same speed as before, he buried the knife in to its hilt again on the other side of her abdomen. _

_Weak from the shock, her knees buckled, but the man behind her held her standing limp. Her brain frantically screamed at her to protest, but her arms would not move to follow the command. Her eyes followed the knife as it was again pulled out of her and then waved in front of her face. The Joker stood behind the blade, his laughter echoing off the hollow building they had taken for a hide out. Harley's eyes slowly tracked again to the twin trickles of blood flowing down her legs. As her eyes were traveling upwards, she saw the blade coming again, this time slashing brutally across her body in various places. Harley flinched at each pass of the blade, her voice a hoarse cry caught in her throat._

_Suddenly done with the blade, the Joker through it to the floor some distance away. His face gleamed in the low light. Harley's head swam as she was dropped to the floor in a wet thud. She glanced up at the grinning faces above her, her vision blacking at the edges. Suddenly, she noticed the Joker leaning over her._

_"Mustn't sleep before the party ends, Harl!"_

_Her eyebrows creased before she saw the fist again, this time slamming her harder against the floor, the very force rattling her bones. She felt the barrage of arms and legs pummel her body as she attempted to curl herself up for protection.

* * *

_

The rain beat lightly against the window, running down the clear panes and casting dancing shadows across the room. Ivy's tired green eyes watched the droplets slide smoothly down the glass that rippled with water. The street light down the block threw flickering lights across the other wise dark room. Ivy sighed and turned away from the window to face the other occupant in the room. Harley had become increasingly restless in her sleep, her body fidgeting as she mumbled incoherently. Ivy propped herself up on an elbow, her green eyes going over the woman as she moved to put a hand on Harley's shoulder.

The blonde flinched and whimpered, drawing herself deeper into the ball she was so tightly curled in. Ivy then got to her knees and leaned over her, shaking her to get her to awaken. Harley was breathing quickly as Ivy noticed the eyes below her closed lids moved viciously. Getting a firmer hold on Harley, Ivy shook her.

"Harley, wake up."

Ivy shook her again and raised her voice. Something was wrong.

"Harley, wake up. You're having a--"

Suddenly Harley bolted up in bed, crashing her forehead against Ivy's. Not taking a second to inquire, Harley was out of bed and throwing up violently in the bathroom attached to the bedroom. Ivy, momentarily stunned by the force she was just hit with, regained her focus and rushed into the bathroom.

Harley had her back against the wall, her head in her hands. She was breathing deeply. Ivy filled the cup on the sink and brought it to her friend.

"Take a drink, Harl."

Harley looked up at Ivy and then to the glass before taking it and swallowing it in one large gulp. Ivy took a seat beside her, running a reassuring hand down the blonde's forearm.

"Are you all right?"

Harley nodded, narrowing her eyes and pursing her lips before lifting a single brow. She turned to Ivy, her expression unrecognizable.

"Hey, Red?"

"Yes, Harley?" Ivy frowned.

Harley rubbed her chin and regarded Ivy seriously. "You have a hard head."

Thrown entirely off guard by the statement, Ivy blinked. "What?"

Grinning, Harley poked Ivy in her forehead before bursting out laughing.

Stunned by the complete shift in demeanor, Ivy frowned again. "Harley--"

Harley put her hand up. Her face still had a smile, but her voice was quiet and serious. "I don't want to. I'd rather not think about it no more. I'd rather have fun." She clasped Ivy's hand. "We're gonna get 'im back, Red. You and me."

Ivy smiled. "You and me, huh?"

Harley grinned. "Well. And the babies."

Ivy raised her eyebrows. "The babies?"

Harley pouted. "Can't they come, too, Red?"

Ivy patted Harley's hand before getting to her feet. "Before we even think about that maniac, you need to rest. You can't keep getting out of bed in the middle of the night, Harley. My remedies can only do so much."

Harley crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out. "C'mon Red, you don't gotta lecture me."

Ivy offered her hand to her. "Apparently I do."

Harley took the offered hand and followed Ivy out of the bathroom. Both women crawled in bed again, each settling comfortably. Harley rolled onto her side, facing Ivy.

"Red?"

Ivy shifted her head to look at Harley.

"Hmm?"

Ivy watched Harley curl a lock of her own bright red hair around her index finger in thought.

Her blue eyes stared at the lock curled around her finger before she spoke. "Thanks for takin' such good care of me always." They locked eyes.

Ivy rolled onto her side and pushed a blonde bang behind Harley's ear. "I'll always take care of you, Harl. Don't you know that by now?"

She was silent a moment before she spoke. "I s'pose. 'specially with you goin' to Batsy and all. I just don't wanna ever make YOU mad, Red."

Ivy moved her body closer to Harley and put her arms around the blonde. "I'd never leave you, Harley. And I would never hurt you." She felt Harley close her eyes against her neck. "You've worried about this, haven't you?"

It had been only 4 days since Harley had been out of the hospital, and she was almost completely healed because of Ivy's extensive botanical logic. The woman was still weak and had frequent nightmares when she slept, which kept both of them up to all hours of the night. Harley had spoken only once about the incident with Joker when she had collapsed in Ivy's arms her first night home. It was easier for her to forget those things and focus on healing herself and to listen to what Ivy had to tell her.

"Yeah."

Ivy stroked the loose blonde hair under her fingers and smiled when she felt Harley fit their bodies closer together.

"You don't have to worry, Harley. We have our differences, and we DO get on each others nerves." She grinned again when she heard Harley giggle. "But we always stay together."

Harley snuggled deeper in the embrace as Ivy smiled against the head tucked under her chin. They were silent for a moment, Ivy almost drifting to sleep before Harley spoke again.

"What would I do without ya, Red?" she whispered, as if afraid to awaken Ivy if she had already fallen asleep.

Ivy pondered quietly to herself, her fingers again combing through the blonde hair. "Don't think about it, Harl. I'm not going anywhere."

Harley pulled away to look up in Ivy's half lidded green eyes. Her eyebrows drew together. "He'll try and hurt you, Red. And I don't want him to."

Ivy opened her eyes completely and looked at Harley. The blue eyes were worried, yet Ivy could see the stirrings of protectiveness Ivy knew Harley to possess. "I won't let him hurt me, Harley."

Her eyebrows drew closer together. "But he's smart, Red. And he's so..." she closed her eyes. "Angry."

Ivy clasped Harley's cheek and waited for the blue eyes to open again. "Listen to me, Harley. He's not going to hurt either of us, especially if we stick together."

It had been nagging the back of Ivy's mind that Harley would end up falling prey to the Joker again and leave her by herself again. Numerous times before they had had this conversation, and each time Harley would go back to him, saying it was a misunderstanding and that he was happy to have her back. And off she would walk to him before again limping back to the care and protection of Ivy months later. She WANTED to believe this time was different. But there was no way to know for sure.

"Red?"

Coming out of her insecurities, she looked at Harley. "Trust me. He won't hurt me, and he certainly won't hurt you."

Harley was silent a moment, her eyes wandering Ivy's face before settling again on her bright emerald eyes. She smiled. "Together always?"

Ivy offered a small smile and stroked Harley's cheek with her thumb. Her eyes strayed to the pale lips, wondering what they would feel like and if she would ever be able to kiss them. Her mind forgetting the notion, she grinned, locking eyes with Harley.

"It's time for bed now."

Harley's smile grew wider as she closed her eyes.

* * *

The shiny metallic armor glistened in the light with rain that pelted its surface, gliding over the smooth planes and beading against the protective coverings. Suddenly jumping to life, the head lights switched on, as well as the dashboard panels, lighting the interior in a soft blue. The engine rumbled powerfully in the empty street, completely alone, save for scurrying alley cats.

A caped figured swooped in from the darkness, landing with a splash in a large puddle on the street. Approaching the car, the cover hissed obediently, admitting the caped crusader to the helm. Flicking a switch on the panel, Batman stepped on the gas, the batmobile taking off to a new destination.

As the batmobile roared down the rain slick streets, the dark knight's mind began to wander. While he was patrolling that night, there were numerous instances of break ins all over Gotham. The thugs weren't flagged for a specific criminal, but they all had a similar list. He had gone over the crimes several times, inputting data into the batmobile's system about the many components the men had stolen. The outcome had been a large cannon styled gun system, a general heavy arms idea. Each of the parts the men had stolen, from various corporate companies within Gotham, could be combined together to form a massive genocidal weapon of mass destruction. However, the components could not be found, nor were there any signs of forced entry. Only the obvious disappearances caused alarm.

Pulling the car over to a shadowed portion of street, he climbed out. The rain pelted the armor of his suit as he walked, taking out his grapple to ascend the building. Once atop, he walked slowly to the figure at the edge, lounging lazily in the rain.

"I thought cats hated the rain."

Playful blue eyes turned to regard him for a moment. "We do, if nothing is there to catch our interest." She stood and languidly stretched.

He nodded and moved to stand at the ledge beside her. "I shouldn't ask if you've heard about the robberies."

She huffed. "Of course." Her eyes scanned the rooftops ahead, watching the spray of the pounding rain bounce off the structures. "I take it you haven't caught them."

"No. There wasn't any indication."

She purred at him. "As all good thieves know. Silence is golden, Bruce."

He turned to look at her, a small smirk on his lips. "I've noticed."

She sauntered further down the ledge, not caring to look back and notice if he followed. She was sure he did. She perched herself on the corner of the building, a grin plastered on her face. She turned around and locked eyes with the man. "You know what they're stealing these stupid things for?"

He didn't answer, merely scanned the streets below.

"Or is this where you want me to do a little poking around?"

"Selina."

She put a hand up. "I know you've got a general idea, but I can find a perfected one. I know you've been talking to Ivy. She fits into this somewhere, just the same as Harley. And it all centers around that lunatic."

"What makes you say that?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Call it woman's intuition."

* * *

Ivy rolled over in bed, feeling for the person that was no longer beside her. Confused, she got out of bed and looked for the other rogue. Not finding her in the bathroom, Ivy walked out of the bedroom and into the living room.

Harley stood in the center of the living room absently chewing her finger nail, her eyes scanning the news report that lit the room. Ivy walked up beside her.

"What is it?"

Startled, Harley passed her eyes to Ivy before moving back to the television. "Mistah J."

Ivy watched the screen for a moment, taking the remote from Harley and turning up the volume. She listened for a moment, hearing no mention of the green haired fiend. Turning to give Harley a look of annoyance, she pointed the remote at the screen.

"The Joker?"

Harley waved a hand, her eyes scanning the TV. "The clowny boys."

Arching a brow, Ivy straightened, crossing her arms. "Who?"

Blue eyes turned to Ivy. "The goonies. They've been stealin' all'a that stuff Mistah J said they'd need for the blasty gun or whatever."

"Blasty gun?"

Harley blew out a breath. "Red! I don't remember what it was called! Wouldja cut me a break?"

Grinning, she turned back to the television. "What's this 'blasty gun' for, Harl?"

"Somethin' with Johnny. Mistah J wouldn't really tell me."

Momentarily overcome with the fury she had felt when facing down Jonathan Crane, she threw the remote across to the couch and growled in her throat, unable to stop herself. Confused, Harley turned.

"Heya Red, whasamatter?"

Icy green eyes turned to look at her. "Jonathan Crane better be suffering a horrid recovery."

Harley's eyebrow shot up, her mouth forming a confused pout. "Wha?"

Exasperated, Ivy looked at the harlequin. "You don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

Ivy closed her eyes and placed her fingers hard between her eyes. "Of course you wouldn't remember. You weren't conscious. Crane poisoned you with a fear gas while you were in the hospital."

Harley blinked. "Oh." She scrunched up her face in thought. "I guess that's what Mistah J was doin'."

Ivy looked back the the TV. "They were making a laughing gas mixed with Crane's fear gas. Something they tested on you after they--"

"I know, Red."

Sighing, she turned an apologetic smile to the woman. "I'm sorry, Harley."

The harlequin grinned at her friend. "Whaddaya mean 'were', anyway?"

Ivy's smile turned into an dark grin. "I sent Crane back to Arkham with a trail of blood behind him."

Harley's eyebrows rose. "You did? Just for me?"

Ivy smiled. "Just for you."

Harley was on her in an instant, crushing her in a bone breaking hug, the ones she used to give every other second before she was sent to the hospital. Ivy, who was nevertheless happy to see a glimmer of the old Harley, was having trouble breathing.

Harley picked the woman up and bounced them up and down, giggling. Ivy struggled uselessly against the powerful hug she was sure she'd suffocate in. Harley gently put her down and smiled wide. Ivy panted and mock glared at the blonde.

"Must you?"

She stuck her tongue out. "Yeahh, I must." She flopped down on the couch, stretching her legs out and crossing her arms behind her head.

Ivy smiled and sat beside her, handing over the remote.

"Hey Red, since we're awake, let's do somethin'."

"Do something? Harley... it's 5 in the morning."

Harley clicked on cartoons and turned to look at Ivy. "Wellllll, we could go steal something." She wagged her eyebrows suggestively.

Ivy snorted indignantly and offered the woman a look. "Harley, you're not completely--"

Harley was on her knees in front of Ivy, her hands clasped in front of her, a puppy dog look on her pathetic face. "C'mon, Red, pleeeease?"

Ivy crossed her arms. "Harley."

Harley poked her bottom lip out and put her clasped hands on Ivy's leg, her eyes looking forlornly up at Ivy. "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

Knowing completely when she was beaten, she sighed. "All right, Harley. Something small."

Grinning, Harley was rolling into a back hand spring to get herself up on two feet. She grimaced at the landing. Ivy noticed and was on her feet, pointing an accusing finger at Harley.

"Harley, you can't even do the simplest moves. So before you go out in the RAIN and do something that could HURT you, I suggest you exercise and HEAL."

Pouting, Harley slumped her shoulders. "Oh, awright, Red." She shuffled forward, dragging her feet on the ground behind her.

Ivy rolled her eyes and threw her hands up. "The balance beam, the balance beam!"

Sparking, Harley perked up. "I can see my babies."

Ivy shot her a look.

Harley grinned sheepishly. "I'll keep 'em away from your plants, Red."

Both women walked into the vast greenhouse, Ivy breathing deeply and smiling. Harley simply walked through the maze of plants that she had memorized to come out into Ivy's studio. She opened the garage door, omitting the three beasts into the leafy haven. Ivy, wary they would destroy the plants, watched them merely sniff and lay down at the bases of numerous balance beams off to the other side.

Harley hopped gracefully onto one of the beams, hand standing perfectly still in the air. Ivy breezed passed her toward her large work bench, many of her plants shaking in excitement at her presence.

Harley progressed into several other positions, holding them and shifting again. Parts of her body hurt more than others, but the pain was only mild discomfort. She put her weight on her hands, her legs midair stretched in front of her. She watched Ivy work with several plants, the red head silent. Harley's eyes never left the woman as she shifted positions, putting her weight on one hand and stretching her body wide in the air. She put her other hand down, arching her back to put her feet on another beam before pushing off to stand, balancing easily on her narrow perch.

"Why are you staring at me, Harley?"

Grinning, she sat indian style on the beam, reaching down to the scratch one of the dogs behind his ear. "I'm not."

She was up again, balancing on the ball of one foot, her arms reaching behind her to latch onto her ankle and stretch more muscles. She hissed at the pressure it put on her newly healed ribs. Ivy turned a moment, watching the woman move into complicated positions on her beams.

"Don't hurt yourself, Harl."

Harley, her hands one in front of the other on the beam and her legs stretched into an inverted split, grinned. Her bangs hung freely from her face, her blonde ponytail lightly brushing the top of the beam she was perched on.

"No worries, Red." She sprung up, flipping and landing sound on both feet. She grinned before sitting on the beam once more, lightly stretching her arms behind her head.

Shaking her head in amusement, Ivy turned back to the plants creeping across her desk surface. She pushed away from the desk and popped her spine back into working order. With a last look at the ever shifting Harley, she disappeared into the thick vegetation of the room.

One of the dogs raised his head to follow Ivy, but put it back down as she disappeared.

Harley grinned and leaned down to scratch the dog lovingly on his large head. "Don't worry, baby. Red'll be right back." Her blue eyes looked to the spot Ivy had disappeared to.

A few moments later, Ivy reappeared, a few leaves in her hand. Wordlessly, she walked back to her bench and sat back down, her hands moving expertly around the area.

Harley, who laid in a bridge pose along her beam, looked at Red. "Whatcha doin', Red?"

Ivy was silent a moment before she turned around, a small beaker in her hand. The beaker held a glowing orange liquid that cast odd shadows on Ivy's green skin.

"Drink this, Harl."

Coming down out of her pose, Harley stepped easily off the beam. She took the beaker and sniffed it, making a sour face. Ivy chuckled.

"No one said to smell it. I said to drink it."

Putting her eyebrow up, she merely shrugged and downed the liquid. She stuck her tongue out and grimaced. She handed the vial back to Ivy. "What was'at for?"

Ivy smiled. "The rest of your medicine. Whatever pain you've been feeling should go away completely this time."

Mildly confused, Harley blinked.

The green skinned woman chuckled. "Harley, when you're not yammering on or annoying me while I'm working, you're distracted."

Harley scratched her cheek absently.

Ivy smiled and resumed working.

* * *

The Joker smiled, his face twisted into a malicious countenance. He watched as his men built the ray for his fearful laughing gas, his eyes burning with his inner insanity and happiness that he could once and for all take Gotham for his own. One of his men walked up behind him, mindful to wait to be spoken to. Joker whirled around.

"Yeeeees?" He grinned.

"Dr. Crane's at the gates."


	6. Chapter 6

The Joker sat at a table in his hideout, his feet propped up on the surface, his chair back on two legs. His smile was large and wildly amused as he glanced over the pathetically furious form of Jonathan Crane.

"What took you so long, Johnny Boy?"

Scarecrow growled deep in his throat, his nightmarish voice coming out in a rasp against the bandage tight around his throat.

"That bitch Ivy." He leaned forward, his yellow eyes glaring at Joker. "You said no one knew about those tunnels, Joker, yet both her and that rodent were there."

Joker had been grinning continuously and let out a loud cackle at Crane's accusation. "And?"

Crane growled again. "And now they know _exactly_ what we're doing."

Joker slammed his chair down on all 4 legs, and stood swiftly, towering over the table, a maliciously humored smile on his face. "We?" He motioned for his men. He grinned. "There's no we, Johnny boy."

Crane stood quickly, his chair falling behind him. He turned toward the goon approaching him and sunk his fear spindles deep in his throat. He was in mid turn toward the Joker when he heard the distinct sound of a pistol being cocked. Growling, he slowly turned the rest of the way to look down the long barrel of the Joker's 45.

"Now now, Johnny boy. I don't want you going around all half _cocked_." He laughed mirthfully at the scowl on the masked face before him. "You let them in our secret, so now it's time for you to pay the piper."

More goons had appeared, each stepping over the screaming man on the ground and formed a half circle around Scarecrow. Another growl gurgled from the man's throat.

"You're out of your mind if you think I'm letting you have that to yourself."

The Joker laughed hysterically again, even taking a moment to bend over and slap his knee. He straightened. "Thanks for noticing!" He sobered and squeezed the trigger tighter.

Scarecrow's body tensed as the goons moved around him. Thinking quickly, his body launched forward, his spindles extended.

The shock of the blast to his chest made him lose momentum, as he tumbled to the ground right at the Joker's feet. The green haired maniac glanced down at the rasping form, his red lips a thoughtful pout.

"That was your last chance shot to hell, Johnny boy." He turned on a wing-tipped heel, waving his pistol lazily as he walked away. "Do what you want with him boys, then get back to work."

* * *

Ivy had been working diligently on a delicate plant to help it survive in more harsh conditions when the blue eyes that had been staring at her finally wore on her nerves. Letting out a quick breath through her nose, she turned on her stool, her green eyes locking on the lithe form of the antsy harlequin.

"What, Harley, what?"

Harley glanced surprisingly at Ivy, her face a perfect mask of innocence. She pointed at herself. "Me, Red?"

A perfectly sculpted red eyebrow arched. "Yes, you."

Harley smiled shyly, her legs kicking back and forth absently. "Just thinkin'. That's all."

Ivy's face softened as she looked at the woman. "Are you all right?"

Harley smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. "Yeah, Red, I'm okay." She stood up and stretched her body. Her eyes tracked to the beasts near the door.

"Are you going to walk them before they wreck my plants?"

Harley grinned wickedly and laughed. "A'course." The blonde bound toward her babies, who stood and wagged their tails as a greeting. Opening the door to the small garage, she turned her eyes back to the working Ivy.

"Hey, Red?"

Not glancing up from her work, she regarded the rogue. "Yes, Harley?"

Smiling, though unseen by the green-skinned beauty, "I'm gonna get you somethin' extra special for takin' such good care'a me."

Perturbed, Ivy raised her eyes, only to find Harley gone.

* * *

Harley walked briskly, enjoying the cool air against her arms. She had taken her time to walk out of the thick vegetation surrounding Ivy's biggest hideout to date, which was very well isolated and hidden to the people of Gotham. The hyenas walked obediently behind their master, each looking around in different directions, their protectiveness of the blonde still very much apparent, regardless of their physical distortion. She turned her head and smiled at them all as they all quickly dispersed to do their business.

Harley sat on a bench, her eyes taking in the sights of Gotham as the last rays of the sun disappeared. The dogs quietly came back to their master, two of them laying at her feet and the third sitting next to her crossed legs. The few people that were walking the streets regarded the woman seriously, all of them very well aware of who she was and frightened at not knowing what she was capable of.

She smiled to herself at the wariness of the general public and reached down to scratch the dog on his head. His tongue lolled absently out of his mouth at the affection. The blue eyes wandered aimlessly around the street she was so familiar with, knowing very few people were ever in this part of the large city.

Her musings turned inward at what she had been through over the past month, and then her thoughts turned toward the red haired woman that had been masterfully caring for her. She chuckled aloud, those blue eyes looking down at the brown of her hyena.

"Red's real special, isn't she, boy?"

The dog barked in affirmation, the other two raising their heads as if to agree as well. She stood up and inhaled deeply before letting it out quickly and turning back to the hideout. Her beasts quickly stood, forming a protective circle around her legs as she quietly walked back toward the hideout.

In a short time, she walked back through the door, feeding her dogs before she finally crossed through the extensive greenhouse and entered the apartment again.

Green eyes turned toward her as she came back into the living room and Ivy subtley let go of the tension she felt building since Harley left hours ago.

"Did the dogs have a nice walk?"

Harley grinned and sat down on the kitchen counter, happy to watch Ivy cook the vegetables on the stove.

"You betcha, Red. They always do."

Ivy nodded, her eyes watching the boiling water and the greens within it. Harley's eyes wandered around the kitchen, a smile on her face. She turned distinctively, looking for the table that no longer was there. She frowned.

"Uhm.."

Ivy turned toward her. "What?"

Harley pointed. "What'd ya do to the table?"

Ivy huffed. "I had to get rid of it."

* * *

The batmobile sped down the street, a tense caped crusader behind the wheel. As the engine gunned and the car sped toward the destination, he clicked up the video link to the batcave. Alfred appeared on the screen.

"Alfred, what's the news of the newest break in?"

The butler frowned. "Apparently a large quantity of cryo equipment had been stolen from GothChem, Master Bruce. For what reason, I'm unsure."

He nodded. "Thanks, Alfred." And with that the image dissipated.

He slowed his car and pulled off to the side. The top hissed and he exited the vehicle, walking toward the building looming above him. Taking out his grapple, he extended his arm and hooked the ledge, instantly scaling the building. Walking to the opposite ledge, he looked at the roof hatch that had been tampered with.

He heard a soft thud and turned over his shoulder to take in the form of Catwoman.

"Out a little early, aren't we?"

"What are you doing here, Selina?"

She grinned, purring at him. "I was following you."

His face was serious as he regarded her. "Why?"

Her eyes narrowed as she perched on the very hatch he had been trying to study.

"You're not very good at being civil sometimes, Bruce." Her blue eyes locked onto his. "Do you know why the goons took whatever they did from here? I can only assume it's cryogenic."

"How can you assume that?"

She grinned, leaning back on her hands and crossing her legs. "Bruce, I know alot of what you do. It's how we acquire that information that makes us different."

He said nothing.

"I know Harley's out of the hospital. I also know that Crane's dead because Ivy found him in those tunnels."

His mouth scowled. "I know. His body was discovered this morning, hanging from a fish net."

"Joker means business this time."

His eyes narrowed dangerously. "I know."

* * *

Ivy was settled down comfortably in bed, sleeping peacefully. Harley was silently walking the room, after having gathered a spare costume from the closet and slung it over her shoulder. She entered the living room and slid into the jumpsuit. She painted her face it's traditional white and slipped her mask on before she took a glance at the bedroom door that was slightly open. She grinned.

"I'll be right back, Red."

With that she was out the window and on her way.

She had been bounding from rooftop to rooftop, an empty sack waving in the wind behind her. There was a large smile plastered permanently on her face, happy to feel the freedom she had been denied recently. Stopping on the roof across from the building she had set her sights on, she breathed and smiled wider.

As she was about to descend to reach the other side, a sound stopped her. She turned, a cartoonish look of surprise and confusion written across her painted face.

Selina sat purring quietly, twirling her whip absently as her blue eyes roved over the form of the harlequin.

"I see you _are_ doing better, Harley."

She grinned and turned to fully face the woman. "Heya, Selina." She walked to sit down beside the woman.

Dark blue eyes turned to regard the quiet clown. "What brings you out tonight without your green eyed lady?" She grinned.

Her blue eyes moved to lock onto Selina's. "Whatcha doin' out here without your caped honey?"

Selina's eyes narrowed before she smirked. "What makes you think there's _anything_ going on with me and Batman?"

Harley leaned back and smiled, yawning."Who said there wasn't?" She laughed at the wry look she received. "I'm goin' to steal that pretty plant for Red."

"Are you now? Why's that?"

Harley leaned forward again, her blue eyes scanning the city line. "Cause she's special and I wanted ta thank her for being so good to me."

Selina sobered, her eyes gently roving the sad smile of the clown beside her.

"You're not going to leave her, are you?"

Harley turned a startled look to the woman. "You mean go back to Mistah J?"

Catwoman nodded, taking down her hood and letting her long hair down. Harley followed suit, but kept her hair up in her trademark ponytails.

"No, I'm not goin' back to Mistah J. I wanna stay with Red. Even though I make her mad sometimes, and sometimes she yells when I screw things up." She offered a sad smile to her company.

Selina nodded. "Yeah, but she loves you."

Harley smiled and a giggle bubbled its way from her throat.

"Red doesn't love me, silly. Just her plants."

Selina cocked an eyebrow, her mouth an indignantly shocked frown. "Harley, are you insane? If Ivy didn't love you, do you think she would have gone through asking for Batman's help, weeks of being at your side at the hospital, even _finding_ you in that state and being so upset?"

Harley regarded her seriously, her brow creasing under the face paint. "It's just cause I'm always getting in trouble, and I help Red sometimes, and--"

Selina held up a hand, her eyebrows raised substantially. "Harley, wake up and smell the roses."

The blonde frowned, her blue eyes looking down at the clasped hands in her lap. She looked back up at Catwoman. "Red _loves_ me?"

Selina shrugged, offering a ghost of a smile. "Don't you think?"

Harley faltered a moment. "Well.."

Selina offered a small smile to the woman. "The real question is how do YOU feel about her?"

Harley smiled a little before her eyebrows drew up in her confusion.

The dark haired woman got up and stretched, righting her suit to cover her face yet again. "I'm only saying." She grinned and turned her back. "Say hi to her for me when you see her next." She glanced back and smiled wider. "I'm assuming that's later."

And with that, she was gone over the side of the building.

Harley sat and thought a moment before putting her own hood back up and finishing the rest of her mission.

* * *

Ivy grumbled as she zombied her way out of the bedroom, her hair a tousled mass of red. She had woken up in the middle of the night noticing two things. One, that she was cold. And two, she was cold because Harley was missing. Eventually she had gone back to sleep, but the sleep was riddled with upset and worry. Now, at 7 in the morning, the bleary eyed woman walked quietly into the kitchen. She grabbed a cup and took a long drink of water before turning back around. She then noticed the plant sitting on the coffee table through the opening above the kitchen counter. She quickly entered the room and knelt down to study the plant, her eyes glowing with excitement.

"The Tuhanensis..." she whispered, gently touching the crimson petals.

"Ya like it?"

Ivy stood and turned, her eyes locking on the woman still dressed in her jumpsuit. Ivy glanced at her and then back at the plant. "How did you? What.. why? Harley, it's magnificent." She knelt down beside it again, turning back to look at Harley.

Harley crossed her arm behind her back, her hand clasping loosely at her elbow. "I wanted to thank you for bein' so good to me, Red. So I stole it last night."

Ivy, forgetting she had been a nervous wreck for most of the night, went to embrace the blonde.

"Thank you, Harley."

Harley tucked her chin against the top of Ivy's shoulder and she smiled, squeezing the plant queen before letting her go.

She smiled shyly, the conversation she shared with Selina running rampant through her mind. Ivy, too concerned with the prized possession now in her home, missed the fleeting look cross Harley's face.

"I'm going to put this in my garden and reinforce it so it can grow and I can harvest the seeds."

Harley's heart warmed at seeing Ivy so excited at her gift and she smiled as Ivy breezed past her to head for the greenhouse. She headed toward the bathroom to shower and attempt to clear her mind about how she felt about the subject matter that had not once left her mind since she watched Selina disappear over the side of the building.

* * *

The goons had been building and stealing for days now, and finally the end product stood proud in the center of the vast warehouse floor. Joker strolled in, his eyes lighting with malicious deviation at the final product. The canisters were attached to the side of the large ray, feeding directly into the large barrel. Giggling with glee, he approached the ray, sitting himself in the control panel situated at the rear of the machine. Eying a lone henchmen, he aimed and released a dangerously precise, controlled burst of the combined gases. The henchman started to scream before giggling uncontrollably. His eyes began to water as his body reacted as if it were violently afraid, though he laughed continuously.

The Joker opened his mouth and let loose a cackle that sent shivers down the backs of all the men in the room.

* * *

Bruce sat at the bat computer, reviewing all the information he had gathered recently, all pertaining to the stolen items. He reviewed the schematics the bat computer produced, showing the large gun and reviewed, with intimate detail, what it was capable of.

He leaned back in his chair and let out a low growl, his fingers going to press tightly against his temples. Alfred had walked down to his domain, aspirin and water in his gloved hands.

"Here, Master Bruce."

The man looked up at his dear friend and sighed. Standing, he took the offered medicine and swallowed it with the cool water.

"Thanks, Alfred."

"Still nothing on the missing items?"

Bruce scowled, turning in a huff back toward the large screen, his cape flying roughly before settling back against the floor. Alfred walked to stand beside him.

"Nothing. Not a trace, not a clue." He hit a few buttons, allowing a full map of Gotham to form on the screen. The picture constantly shifted, each time moving along parts of the 3D city to give a better idea of where the crew had gone.

"It seems these goons have become quite the sophisticated group."

"Joker means business." He clicked up the antidote, making a few calculations and beginning the process to make even more.

"Master Bruce, are you going to be able to combat the large system this madman has created?"

Blue eyes narrowed dangerously. He offered no response.

* * *

Ivy had carefully planted the rare flower in the front of her greenhouse, using many of her remedies to fortify the plant and allow it to grow richly in the soil of her haven. She sat back on her heels, looking in wonderment at the flower she had wanted for such a long time. Watering it for the final time, she placed the watering can back on her desk before turning to enter the house again.

Clicking the door shut behind her, she was pleased to see Harley out of her suit and sitting on the couch, he crossed legs bouncing absently. Without a word, Ivy offered a smile before disappearing into the bathroom to shower and dress.

Noticing Ivy disappear, Harley sprung to her feet, chewing on her bottom lip. She began pacing the floor, her mind racing through a million different scenarios focusing on the subjects of "love" and "Poison Ivy." Suddenly stopping, Harley realized that Selina had been undoubtedly right.

"Red _loves_ me!" she whispered to the air.

Thinking back, she remember all the little things that set Ivy apart from everyone else. The small gestures, the subtle looks, the fierce over protection, the pain in her eyes whenever Harley would leave her for the Joker again.

Harley's eyes sparkled with unshed tears. "Oh, Red."

"What's the matter, Harl?"

Unnoticed, the woman had reentered the room, causing Harley to quickly spin around and faced the green skinned beauty. Her tears had dissipated.

"Do you love me, Red?"

Ivy raised an eyebrow, putting her hands on her towel-clad hips. "Of course I do, Harley. What makes you think otherwise?"

Harley chewed absently on her bottom lip, her eyes a mix of many emotions. "No, I mean. Do you _love_ me?"

* * *

_I'm sorry for the delay in updating, but it's rather hard to type with a broken arm. _


	7. Chapter 7

The words echoed in the silence surrounding them.

Ivy stood perfectly still in the center of the room, the sound of her heartbeat hammering in her ears. Her eyes took in the form of Harley in front of her, the blonde chewing absently on her lip, her eyebrows drawn tightly together.

"Red?"

Ivy blinked slowly and swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. She licked her dry lips, her arms subconsciously moving to hug her half nude body. Surely this would be the rejection she had never wanted to experience-- she had experienced enough of it from the harlequin. Each time the blonde would leave her, a part of Ivy would wilt inside, and now to be faced with a question she never wanted to answer? She felt her world start to spin.

Harley, noticing the quick display of emotion fly through the emerald eyes, took a tentative step forward.

Ivy, brought out of her shock at the small movement, locked her eyes on Harley.

"Yes." She whispered hoarsely, her voice strained and quiet.

Harley frowned again, noticing the tears beginning to form in the off focus eyes and the slump in Ivy's body that screamed rejection. She was broad sided by the response.

Ivy was standing like a scolded child, her eyes lowered and her lip curled into her mouth to attempt to quell the tears she could feel building behind her eyes. She shut them tightly, willing herself to disappear from the blonde woman in front of her. She didn't want to deal with this right now. Couldn't.

Harley stepped up to Ivy, using her hand to lift Ivy's chin, forcing her to look her in the eyes. The rogue smiled, a smile that was genuine and small, unlike the large grins reserved for her clown persona. Taking one final step, she folded the woman into her arms, the harlequin content to lay her cheek against the flame red hair.

Ivy, confused beyond measure, did not melt into the hug as she would under normal circumstances. Her brain simply refused to accept that Harley had yet to yell and be disgusted and storm out of the apartment. After a few moments, Harley pulled back, her blonde brow cocked in a silent question. Ivy, shaking her head, backed away from the woman.

Harley frowned again. "Whatsamatter, Red?"

Ivy's brows knit tightly together, her hands going up as if to stop Harley from stepping closer to her. Many sleepless nights had steeled the vixen of the vines against the rejection she was almost sure she'd receive. This reaction she had not dared dream upon getting.

"Harley, didn't you hear me?"

Harley's eyes smiled before her mouth did, something Ivy noticed made the rogue seem more like the woman she was. "Yeah, Red. I heard ya."

Confused even further, Ivy took another step backward. "And you're just fine with it?"

Harley's mouth twitched lightly, attempting to keep from giggling. She had contemplated the fact that Ivy could love her ever since Catwoman had literally turned her world on its ear. She thought for a moment, remembering all the emotions that had flitted through her mind at the prospect, and not once had the idea startled her. Confused her briefly, and made her heart beat faster, but. It felt natural, almost, that Ivy loved her. And had she not been blinded by her precious Puddin', she would have realized it all on her own.

Harley offered another grin, absently running a hand through her blonde hair. "Yeah."

The gears in Ivy's head were moving far beyond a parameter she was used to. Surely she was dreaming. Surely she'd wake up in bed to Harley snoring like the wood chipper she seemed to become. Surely the blonde woman had misheard her.

"Harley..." She wasn't sure what to say. "Harley, surely you... well..." Her mind refused to work beyond the shock. She was getting angry at herself for losing control of her emotions, for showing a weakness. She had told herself she'd never let the blonde find out. Never let her reject her like that.

Harley, however, was charmed. Right here was her freedom from the Joker, right here was another chance to be _truly_ happy, and not just falsely and sparingly. In her mind, nothing seemed more fitting than being with Ivy. Red. That one person that was always there for her and asked for nothing but the best for the harlequin. Harley felt foolish for never having realized it.

Suddenly tears sprung to her eyes. Ivy _loved_ her. Honestly, truly, passionately loved her. Without a moment's hesitation, she pierced the storm cloud that had shifted around the red head and sealed her stammering with a searing kiss.

* * *

Bruce stood at the large window in his study, his house robe tied tightly around his body. Alfred stood respectfully in the door way, waiting for the man to respond to the recent news that dealt a blow to the Wayne company.

"How's the news this morning now, Alfred?"

The butler moved inside, his hands fidgeting at his sides, though his demeanor showed nothing of his discomfort.

"The press would like a word about the thefts from Wayne Enterprises, Master Bruce. Just the same as all the other men and women who were... vandalized."

Bruce turned, his mind already going through the motions he would have to demonstrate at the press conference. Already he had gathered necessary information from the Commissioner as both Batman and the CEO. Sighing again, he turned back to the window in time to see the sun peek faintly over the treetops. His jaw worked as he recalled the fact the Joker had been in his own building, stealing his own technology, right under his nose. How had the Joker gotten such high quality help, even gone so far as to enlist the help of Jonathan _Crane_? Nothing made sense recently.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he started off toward his suite to get ready for the conference that was sure to give him an even worse headache.

* * *

"Mister Wayne, over here!"

Bruce sighed again, already growing tired of the extended conference and gestured his hand toward the reporter in the front. "Yes, ma'am?"

She stood and straightened her skirt, smiling a little too wide and was a little too friendly toward the CEO. He inwardly sighed. Another woman under his charm.

"Mister Wayne, do you have anything specific to say to the men that have committed these heinous crimes?"

Bruce chuckled to himself. So much for the objective reporter.

"Miss, I only have to say that they will be caught. Gotham police and the Bureau have been working diligently to recover the stolen items. I fully trust their abilities to find these men and bring them to justice."

He adjusted his tie, signaling he had finished his response. More people jumped up, waving for his attention. He nodded toward an older man in the center.

"Mister Wayne, what of the Batman? Do you rely on his help as well? After all, he certainly has been in the shadows as of late."

Bruce shifted slightly, his eyebrow twitching. "All I can say is that I'll gladly accept help if he's willing to give it."

Off to the side, he saw an assistant wave at him, signifying he was needed elsewhere.

"I apologize, but there are other things to be taken care of in light of recent circumstances, thank you all for your time."

He left the dais and entered the large double doors to his own building, his mind shifting into his detective mode.

* * *

In his hideout, the Joker stood grinning madly at the faint image that had cast glowing shadows across the factory floor. Many of his men were standing in the background, also watching the conference with mild interest. Few others were tweaking the machine as needed, making sure there were no flaws to be corrupted.

_"Mister Wayne, what of the Batman? Do you rely on his help as well? After all, he certainly has been in the shadows as of late."_

The Joker threw his head back and let out a loud cackle.

"The Bat? He's nowhere near close to me! Stupid fools!" His grin widened at the response.

_"All I can say is that I'll gladly accept help if he's willing to give it."_

The Joker whirled to look at his men, some of them jumping slightly at his sudden turn. Holding the remote against his shoulder, he clicked the tv off. Hitting another button, the factory lights came up and illuminated the interior in a soft yellow. His eyes glanced around the faces of his henchmen, grinning all the while.

"Tick tock, here goes the clock."

He spun on his heel and disappeared into the shadows of the factory, his laugh echoing in the hollow room. The men shivered.

* * *

At first Ivy noticed three things. One, Harley was kissing her. Two, it was much better than she would have ever imagined it could be. And three, the hand on her hip was driving her insane.

In the instant pink lips were upon her own, she realized she didn't have to fight to convince the blonde to stay, didn't have to plead or bargain with the woman anymore. She smiled to herself. Harley was hers now.

Moving to meld their bodies more firmly together, Ivy angled her head to kiss the rogue deeply. Her hands slowly roved the blonde's back, her finger nails running lightly across the fabric of the shirt Harley wore. She moved a hand up to cup her jaw, pulling Harley harder to her mouth. Her left hand drug slowly across Harley's hip, her thumb slipping beneath the fabric to gently rub across the silk of Harley's skin.

Harley was getting weak in the knees at the tremors Ivy's touch could sent shooting through her body. She wondered briefly if the heady feeling she was getting was because Ivy was toxic or if it was because Ivy's tongue was doing wonderful things to her neck.

Her fingers curled tightly into the towel that still clung to Ivy in all the right places, showing all the right curves and revealing the softest of skin. As she clung tighter to Ivy, she realized the towel was not as tight as it once was.

Groaning, the thought momentarily slipped her mind as fingers nails dug into the sensitive skin along her spine. Her body arched tighter into Ivy, her mind a jumbled mass of thoughts and feelings, all of which centered around the lips that were trailing back toward her own.

Ivy kissed her lightly for a moment, nibbling on her bottom lip before pulling away completely. Her emerald eyes open and locked on the slightly flushed face on the blonde. Her grin was smug and deeply satisfied.

"Harley?"

The blonde's eyebrows raised dreamily as her eyes slowly peeked open. "Yeah, Red?"

Green eyes burned as she ran her thumb lightly over the sweet lips. "I love you."

Harley smiled, kissing the thumb on her lips and running her finger nails down Ivy's spine. Her blue eyes glowed with the intensity she could feel start to spread through her. "Love you too, Red." She dipped her head for a quick peck before pulling back to reveal a mischievous grin.

"Red?"

Ivy purred, her hands moving to run over the skin under Harley's shirt. "Yes, baby?"

Harley moved back for a moment, allowing the towel between them to slip to the floor. The blue eyes darkened in desire.

"You're naked."

She ran her finger tips lightly across Ivy's ribcage.

Ivy's eyes were half lidded as her breath caught in her throat, tongue running slowly across her full lips. She closed the distance between their mouths, her hand firmly planted on the harlequin's hip.

"So I am."

* * *

Bruce growled to himself. He was in his large office on the top floor of his building, the phone ringing insanely off the hook in the other room.

Main inventory of the many industry buildings under the Wayne named came up to reveal a missing prototype vehicle, wanted to be mass produced for military efficiency, as the vehicle is armored, yet light for maneuvering purposes, extremely fast, and could hold heavy artillery equipment.

He grimaced. The only three prototypes had been stolen out of an underground garage, meaning that someone in his company had been able to let the men in for clearance. Hidden from the rest of the public, only Bruce and two other people knew of another missing piece: a schematic for mechanical fission had been stolen out of the information floor of Wayne Industries. The CEO leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming impatiently on his desk.

He grabbed for the phone, placing the receiver against his ear and dialed a number from memory.

* * *

Alfred was busy shuffling around the den, more to keep his mind occupied than clean the already immaculate room. He heard the phone on the mighty desk in the corner ring. Moving to answer it, he placed the white feather duster under his arm with practiced proficiency. Lifting the phone to his ear, he smoothly responded.

"Wayne Residence, who may I ask--"

"Alfred, fire up the computers. I have an idea."

The butler smiled. "Right away, Master Bruce."

He slipped from the den, feather duster still in tow, and entered the passage to lead him to the cave under the Manor.

* * *

Hanging up the phone, Bruce stood and grabbed his briefcase. His secretary was just ushering into his office as he was heading to the door. She looked at him over her glasses, a stack of folders at her hip with ease.

"Mister Wayne, are you going somewhere?"

He smiled. "Yes, Sam. There are other things that need to be taken care."

He inched around her. She shot him a serious look. "You know people still need to talk to you, don't you?"

The man grinned and nodded affirmation. "Of course. All of the calls can be redirected to my home." His grin widened further. "I'm not going to up and disappear on you, Sam. I know you have your hands full already."

She pretended to huff, straightening her skirt and adjusting the folders in her hand. She thumbed through them, pulling out a manila folder from the stack and handing it to the CEO with a smile.

"Of course not, Mister Wayne. This is all you need for right now, it's the extensive report covering all the bases from the company, minor things to the major ones you've already been informed of." She smiled.

He nodded, tucking the folder under his arm. "Thank you. And after today, I'm sending you on vacation. I'm sure you could deserve it."

The red head laughed as she exited the office, the CEO on her heels. "That'll be the day!"

"I'm serious, you know."

Again she looked at him over her glasses before she sat back down at her desk. "Yes, sir. Now do you have anything else you'd like for me to do in your absence?"

He cocked a playful eyebrow. "Abuse the media like you always do."

He heard her laughed again as the door clicked behind him.

* * *

The limo he was in sped through the streets, the glares off the building catching his eye at random intervals. His mind was a whir of activity as he read over the report all company wide inventory. The men had certainly been in every corner of the city, and still Bruce had only half an idea as to what was ultimately the plan.

His mind wandered back to the news reports on Jonathan Crane's body and the eerie silence that the Joker was masterfully displaying. Usually he had his schemes running and foiled in the amount of time he'd been out of Arkham. But there had been much planning, even more manipulation, and an even deeper sense of dread in the pit of Bruce's stomach that something was definitely wrong.

Then came the whole Harley incident. He knew of the Joker's twisted relationship with the harlequin and the many attempts he had previously made on her life. But he had never purposefully included Ivy in his ideas. The Joker was acting the very opposite from what he normally was, and Bruce was convinced the laughing insanity gave way to a much darker evil.

Before he knew it, the limo was pulling up to the front of his home. The door opened for him and he nodded up at the man.

"Thank you, Thomas. Under normal circumstances, I would have driven myself to work." He smiled.

The limo driver chuckled. "Certainly, sir." He closed the door behind him. "Have a good rest of the day, sir." He tipped his hat.

Bruce nodded, moving to unbutton the bottom button on his blazer. "Same to you."

He opened the front door as the limo pulled away toward the circular drive. As the door clicked shut behind him, he was already moving toward the bookcase when a distinctive sound reached his ears.

Without turning around, he responded. "Selina."

He heard her heels echo lightly in the large expanse of the foyer. "I see the Wayne name's been compromised." There was amusement in her voice.

The man turned to her, regarding the business suit she wore. She smirked. "I had to blend in with the press hounds." He nodded but did not move to further himself to the bat cave.

"What're you doing here?"

He rarely asked how she got in. No matter of security could ever keep Selina Kyle out of anywhere, let alone his house and, at the very least, his bed.

"I've got information to share." Her smirk was all telling. The cat had caught her canary.

Without a word, he turned to enter the passage to take him to his work.

* * *

Harley briefly remembered a time when Ivy had tried murdering her for screwing up her plans. The plant mistress was a master at torture and subtle jabs that left you weak of heart and lovesick for attention. It took a long time to finally win the red head's trust back after that one. The blonde smiled inwardly at the irony of the moment, being completely at the mercy of Ivy and her masterful torture that left her lovesick for attention, after finally winning the trust of her heart.

How things had progressed so quickly she could only chalk up to the highly sexual creature that Ivy was and how she herself had been undoubtedly drawn to the bare expanse of her friend. Her internal musings were blown to tiny pieces just as her body was in that instant.

She dug her nails deeply into Ivy as she started to spiral downward before rebounding quickly into colorful awareness of their situation. She took stock of how their bodies were intertwined perfectly together and how Ivy had hooked her into herself and given her a breathtaking experience. She didn't have the gall to open her eyes at the moment, her body still under the pretenses of a wonderfully bright and potent show that flashed before closed eyes a moment before. All of her senses honed brilliantly in on the set of teeth that dragged lazily across her collar bone before Harley felt a weight gently shift to hover above her.

Tentatively, her eyes opened and locked onto the playful emerald ones above her. Ivy was leaning on her elbows above her, her hair creating a glittering halo around them. Harley, for once in her life, had been rendered speechless.

Smiling down at her newly conquered lover, Ivy brushed the bangs out of Harley's eyes. "Harl?"

Gently, the harlequin locked her dreamy blue eyes on Ivy again, answering her in a soft 'hmm.'

Ivy felt Harley slide her leg around her hips, moving to better support the red head as she laid softly against the blonde.

"I'm glad you're with me."

Harley's eyes smiled before her lips again, something Ivy was growing quite fond of in a short amount of time. Coming out of her daze, Harley looked clearly at the plant mistress. "I'm sorry for all those times I hurt ya, Red."

Smiling, she lanced her arms around the bare torso below her, bringing her nose to nuzzle the side of Harley's neck before placing a soft kiss there. "I know you are, baby."

Harley ran her fingers through the wild locks that ran down Ivy's back, revelling in the softness of the red mass. "Together always?"

She felt Ivy smile against her neck before another kiss was placed against it and suddenly Ivy's eyes were in her vision again.

"Together always."

Harley smirked. "Can we seal that with a kiss, Red?"

Ivy happily complied, dipping her head to brush her lips against Harley's, but pulling away gently before Harley could deepen it. She chuckled at the small noise of protest the blonde made.

"Harl, don't you think we have things to take care of today?"

She blonde pouted for a moment. "Aw, c'mon Red. It's still early." Her fingers drew circles on Ivy's shoulders. "I'd be much happier staying right in bed with ya." Her grin was lecherous.

Ivy laughed before pressing a quick kiss to the chin beneath her. "Is that so?"

Harley moved to wrap her legs around the small of Ivy's back, pressing all of her body against Ivy's front. The green skinned beauty groaned at the contact. Damn gymnast.

"That's so." Harley stuck her tongue out before wrapping her arms tightly around Ivy's neck and pulling her in for a breath stealing kiss.

Ivy pulled back slightly, lips still touching, her breath coming out in ragged bursts against the harlequin's talented mouth. "Today can wait."

* * *

The Joker's heels thumped quietly against the warehouse floor, though the echo was still effective. All his men turned their heads to regard him.

His red lips twisted into a murderous grin as he surveyed the latest work.

The prototypes were all outfitted with the machinery he had patiently waited to take form. His plan was coming together nicely. Pursing his lips, he walked forward again, his pistol sitting gently against his shoulder and his other hand in his pocket. His grin grew more malicious as he circled tighter around each vehicle. Finally, he let out a cackle and jumped up on a pile of boxes. He waved his gun in a wide arch in front of him, his eyes scanning the group of men before him.

It was still day light. He had to wait before he could start, had to wait to infiltrate the last area for the final part of his plan to be complete.

His face darkened devilishly as his yellow teeth caught the glow from the lights.

"Soon, Batsy. So very, very soon."

* * *

_All right, I'm **really** sorry for the delay in updating. But my physical therapy's all over and this story will be updated weekly until its end. Thank you for everyone who stayed with it, hello to the newcomers, and another apology to the people who couldn't wait any longer._


	8. Chapter 8

Soft gray shafts of light dribbled through the partially opened blinds, the bright morning sun having been overtaken by heavy dark clouds. The room was bathed in the soft glow, highlighting the lines of the bodies that were curled together under a thin sheet. A soft snore was the only sound to be heard throughout the still apartment.

Harley Quinn could not sleep. As comfortable and warm as she was, she couldn't help but feel a coldness settle in the pit of her stomach. Ivy was curled around her, their limbs an unintelligible mass of human anatomy and delicate curves. They had spent most of the morning in bed, exploring a newly discovered love and boldly harnessed passion. Now, with nothing to distract her thoughts any longer, they strayed to the monster that had unknowingly set her on the path to Ivy.

She exhaled deeply. The movement caused the green vixen to mumble and snuggle in deeper to Harley's side, her skin gliding smoothly over the gymnast. The thought made Harley smile, if only for the briefest of seconds. Her blue eyes located the voluptuous form of Poison Ivy and she couldn't help the glee she felt surging in her heart. The feeling momentarily sparred with the dread she simply could not shake.

No longer feeling suited to lay so comfortably in bed, she attempted the task of untwisting from the other woman. For long minutes she slowly moved, inch by inch, out from the clutches of her lover. Gradually Ivy managed to let go, even through the low grunts at the loss of contact and preferred body heat. Finally free, Harley quickly jumped in the shower and dressed.

Walking into the living room, she noticed the clothes scattered on various surfaces of the apartment. She felt a giggle bubble its way from her throat, though she managed to keep it quiet in respect for Ivy. Quickly picking up the clothes, her thoughts again strayed to the sudden nervousness she had not known herself to possess. Taking a pillow off the sofa, the harlequin sat with her back against the couch, the pillow tucked neatly in her arms. She was unaware how much time she had devoted simply to thinking before she heard the muffle of the shower two rooms away. The blonde didn't shift from her position as she listened to the sounds of the water hitting the walls and floor of the shower, her mind shifting to the view of Ivy under the water. Glad for the momentary distraction, her mind came out of it's reverie as her eyes focused on the form of her lecherous thoughts.

Ivy stood in the door way of the bedroom, her face a mix of many emotions. Her bottom lip was tucked into her mouth, her eyebrows drawn in a soft frown. Harley's eyebrows drew together as her clouded brain was eventually penetrated by the look in Ivy's crystal green eyes.

"Red?"

Ivy suddenly focused on the doorjamb she was leaning against. Her eyes gave way to the emotions she could feel coursing through her as they again locked on Harley's blue ones.

"Harley, do you regret..." She couldn't bear to say the words.

Realization came a moment later as Harley gasped, quickly getting to her feet. She approached the red head, her face glowing with a brilliant smile. She grasped Ivy's hand loosely in her own before she squeezed.

"No way, Red. How could I regret that?" She smiled and tugged the woman into her arms.

Ivy sighed and melded into Harley, her arms going up to lightly circle the harlequin's torso. "Why do you look so lost then?"

Harley screwed her eyes up tightly, wrapping her arms tighter around Ivy, seeking the strength she suddenly found herself without. "Something doesn't feel right, Red. And I don't mean with us."

Ivy pulled away just enough to look Harley in the eyes. "What sort of something?"

Harley absently shrugged, suddenly feeling foolish. Her own thoughts were a jumbled mass, how could she even begin to describe them to Ivy?

"Are you sure it's not with us? I mean, Harley, it was-"

She was silenced when Harley placed a finger over her lips. "It's not us, Red. I think I've been crazy about ya for years." They both shared a chuckle before Harley turned uncharacteristically serious. "No, it's more like... More like a chill. Like something real bad's going to happen."

Ivy frowned, searching the blue eyes before her. She leaned up to lightly kiss the blonde. "Whatever it is, Harl, we're going to face it together."

Harley tiredly leaned her body into Ivy's and closed her eyes.

* * *

Bruce worked quickly at his computer, diligently fighting the urge to stare openly at the woman sitting merely a foot away. Selina was perched on one of the many surfaces in the batcave, her long legs crossed under her short 'press hound' skirt, absently twirling a whip he had assumed simply appeared out of thin air. The woman could be furious at times, and yet he was still powerfully drawn to her presence. She was, simply put, a drug he could never have enough of. She infected his thoughts, got under his skin and made him feel things he'd rather not even think about.

Somehow detecting his turn of thought, she offered a sultry grin.

"You look distracted, darling."

He shot her a cold look before turning back to his screens, his sapphire eyes quickly taking in the many scans of information before him.

She grinned and continued twirling her whip, her azure eyes lazily going over the many images on the screens in front of her. She certainly hadn't come here to work, and her patience was beginning to wear thin. Suddenly she perked.

"Stop."

He glanced at her, an ebony eyebrow raised.

With an air of irritation, she gestured at the screen she was fast approaching, her fingers moving nimbly across the board. Suddenly a picture lit up the screen.

"That." She pointed.

He stood from his chair, moving to peer over her shoulder. Reaching around her waist, he tapped a button then turned back to the larger screen. Feeling a moment's worth of joy at the touch Bruce offered, it was quickly turned into more irritation and a mild growl. She moved to stand beside him, her arms crossed in defiance.

"I can't believe I missed this before." He moved to approach the main console, his fingers hitting the ambiguous keys to bring up more screens, and even more files that ran on different parts of the large monitor.

How he could miss what was so in front of him, he couldn't understand, but now he knew what he needed when came the time. He turned to regard Selina, the click of her heels giving off her blatant annoyance.

"Are you slipping, darling? Or did you just simply think the Joker would," she placed her hand over her chest in mock indignation, "_never _steal an idea from another rogue?"

He had slipped easily into his stony detective countenance and regarded Selina as per his current mindset. "I know the Joker better than I know myself, Selina." He turned to look at the screen, hitting a few more buttons to make the necessary schematics. When he turned around again, Selina had leveled a full blown glare in his direction.

"You're welcome, Bruce. I'd love to point out the obvious to you all day, but Batman never needs help, and I'm a busy girl." She regarded Alfred, having heard his approach long before she saw the white of his gloves. "Bruce, however, can't seem to live without his faithful servant." She seethed and clenched her fists at her sides before continuing. "Curious as to why that little slice of wonder toast you called a sidekick managed to tolerate your crushing shadow before finally going solo." She turned on a spiked heel before basically vanishing into the heavy shadows of the batcave.

Bruce sat down in his chair, his fingers angrily tapping the console his arm rested on. Alfred moved to stand beside him, looking down upon him with a knowing eyebrow cocked.

The man scowled before looking up at his long time friend. "What is it, Alfred?"

"Apparently trouble in paradise." Bruce threw him a look. "There's a woman on the line for you. She says it's important."

* * *

The Joker was busy looking out a dingy window, his red lips twisted into a comedic pout. One of his henchmen stood respectfully a short distance away, his arms folded, ready to take any order from the Clown Prince of Crime. Without even a notion, the Joker was suddenly right in front of him, his Colt pistol again over his shoulder like a prized trophy. His yellow teeth were a glowing testament in the pale surroundings of the hideout.

"Go round up the boys, we're going on a little picnic."

The henchmen was momentarily confused, having noticed the rain that had started to fall again almost an hour ago. But, knowing much better than ever back talking to the green-haired lunatic, he simply nodded and ran to gather a group of his men.

The wild green eyes of the Joker looked out the window again, the orbs lazily following a drop that made its way down the pane.

"Just one more piece of the puzzle, and then..." He pulled the trigger, blowing out the glass.

* * *

Bruce answered the phone in the batcave and sat in his chair, his eyes still going over what his computer was calculating. Alfred was in the background, randomly rearranging things that looked out of place, simply to keep his hands busy.

"This is Bruce Wayne."

There was a pause before a voice broke through. "Hello, Mister Wayne. This is Kelly Mitchell, I'm your-"

"Head of Research for the Chemicals division. Is there something I can help you with, Miss Mitchell?"

"Your assistant, Samantha I believe her name was, was calling in regards to the recent thefts from this particular branch of your company."

Bruce scanned several images on the screen before marking them and focusing back on the phone call that echoed through the cave.

A pause. "Well, sir. I think it's best I describe to you what exactly has been stolen. And I don't think it can wait for another report to be filed on it."

His eyes narrowed. He knew what his company was capable of, but the tremor in her voice instantly piqued his curiosity.

"Well, Miss Mitchell, I have kept well informed on what my scientists do. I like to make sure we're doing everything we can to help the people of Gotham, but maybe I've missed something?"

There was another long pause. This one ground exponentially on his patience. "Miss Mitchell."

"Well, sir. We've actually conducted experiments outside the parameter of your knowledge..."

* * *

Bruce was making his way toward downtown Gotham, Alfred driving the vintage Royce through the city streets. His anger had hardly curbed since stepping out into the weather, seemingly only getting worse as the storm settled in over his city. To hear that his own company could be doing something so... He clenched his fist tighter. How had everything come to unravel so quickly?

Alfred stopped outside the large building, glancing in his rear view mirror at the man about to exit his vehicle. "I'll be ready when you are, sir."

Bruce calmed his nerves a minute and clapped the man on his shoulder. "Thanks, Alfred. I hope we get all this cleared up tonight. I have alot of work ahead of me."

His door was opened by one of the employees of the building, the man holding a black umbrella for him to step under. The CEO stepped out and stood to his full height, a staggering 6 inches over the man that had met him at the door. Not to be completely over taken, Bruce grabbed the umbrella and grinned at the young man.

"Thanks."

They both strode into the building, the boy's mind simply boggled by the mere presence of this man, even forgetting that he carried his own umbrella. Though once inside, Bruce shook it free of rain and folded it up, handing it back to him.

He nodded his assent before entering the lobby, heading straight for the woman behind the desk. She looked up and regarded him, brown eyes almost popping free of her head.

"Mister Wayne, we've been expecting you. Miss Mitchell is..." The elevator doors opened, revealing a woman pale with fright, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. "...just arriving."

Bruce nodded to the woman behind the desk before walking toward the elevator. He stepped over the threshold and she removed her arm, the doors sliding shut almost instantly. Bruce turned to regard her.

"Would you like to explain to me what exactly is going on behind closed doors in this building?"

She gulped and adjusted her glasses. "We were experimenting. Just, simple experiments, really."

His icy eyes bore into her and she swallowed again. "Well, not SO simple, but."

"Miss Mitchell. I understand the gravity of the situation more than you seem to realize. What has been stolen exactly? Something that certainly hasn't been logged into the Wayne data systems, or we would have noticed it sooner."

The only sound that could be heard for a few moments was the hum of the elevator as it made it's way to their destination. "What if I told you we were experimenting on the inmates of Arkham Asylum?"

* * *

Harley walked casually on the rooftop she had landed on in her bout around the city. The rain slicked through her costume, chilling her to the bone, but she paid very little attention to it. Her thoughts, however, were on finding a certain silhouette that could come and go as simply as a faint breeze. She didn't know where to find who she was looking for, but she hoped beyond hope that it would simply fall in her lap.

Stopping along the edge of yet another tall skyscraper, Harley scanned the horizon. The dark sky made it hard to distinguish the city line from the clouds, but she still managed to make out the form she was looking for. Taking hold of her grappling hook she had stolen from some random swat guy one day last month, she hooked it to the top of the building and enjoyed the ride. Approaching the large 'Y', Harley cupped her hands over her mouth and called upwards.

"Heya, Cat! Can I talk to you a sec?"

The shadow above her rustled before silently landing on the ground in front of her. Harley looked over the form of a very wet, and seemingly very pissed off Catwoman.

"You came all this way just to talk to little old me? Flattered." Her tone was dry.

Harley frowned. "Do you know about anything that's going on around this joint?" Harley gestured wildly in the air.

Selina dropped her mask and crossed her arms, an eyebrow perched high. "What is 'this joint?' Wayne? Or Gotham?"

Harley's own eyebrow raised. "You mean there's two different problems?"

Selina laughed. "Normally you wouldn't pick up on that. Ivy must be rubbing off on you."

The blonde crossed her arms as well. "I'm not that dumb. And I wanna know about Gotham."

Selina sauntered away before dropping to the ledge, her long legs hanging over. "There's alot going on in Gotham. You know that."

Harley plopped down next to her and folded her legs. "Yeah, but I mean. Have you heard anything about the Joker?"

Selina regarded her. "What, it's not Puddin' anymore?"

"Don't say that anymore."

"Ivy'll have my head, right?"

Harley nodded, her big eyes looking expectantly at the cat burglar.

"What makes you think I know about what's going on in Gotham? Don't you think Penguin would be more likely to help you?"

Harley laughed, elbowing Selina in the ribs. "Silly. Red's talking to Shortie. And I figured you'd be willing ta help and all, considering the interest you've been havin' about me recently."

Selina bristled. "I have no idea what you're talking about. But I do know what the lunatic's planning is going to turn Gotham upside down. No one's safe anymore. The rogues are starting to panic."

Harley frowned. "It's that bad?"

"Jervis is apparently the only one with actual knowledge as to what's going on. It's been rumored Freeze knew something, but he never talked to anyone about it." She sighed. "But the Hatter can never be trusted."

The harlequin could only nod before frowning.

"Where do we all fit in?"

"We?"

"Me, you, and Red. Mist- The Joker never purposefully brought Ivy into our little fights."

Selina thought a moment, her keen eyes scanning the city tops. "Maybe Ivy's the one who isn't safe, instead of you."

Harley's frown only deepened. "I don't want Red to get hurt. He hates her."

"Ivy can take care of herself. I'm sure she'll be all right."

"Maybe that was why I felt so bad this morning." She sprang to her feet. "Red's in trouble, Cat. We have to save her."

There was a deep, rumbling laugh that suddenly echoed around them. Selina was suddenly on her feet, her eyes darting about the rooftop. Harley whirled around, her back automatically situating against Catwoman.

"Show yourself." She brandished her whip.

A figured stepped out from behind the large 'W' on the rooftop, his mask catching the colorless fluorescent glow of the sign. More figures seemed to multiply as Catwoman snarled. Harley was at her side, her gun squeezed tightly in her hand. Selina didn't have to look at the harlequin to know that she was shaking.

The white face of the Joker suddenly came into view, followed by a large group of his henchmen. Bane stood menacingly beside the Joker, his heavy breathing sounding eerie in the pouring rain. The henchmen had their machine guns at hand, their faces stern and waiting. Catwoman slid her hood back into place and countered her weight, ready to strike if need be. She heard Harley cock her gun.

The Joker laughed and pulled his own gun, pointing it at Harley. "Boys? Bring the girls. We have a party to attend."

The street below was silent before gunshots echoed through the hollow space.

* * *

Ivy stepped out of her car and strode with meaningful purpose toward the doors of the Iceberg. Her eyes scanned the room, although her target was already sidling up to her.

"Ahh, Ivy. Back again so soon? To what do I owe this lovely visit?"

She grinned at him before grabbing his bow tie and hoisting him in the air. "We have to talk. Now."

Normally, he'd be defiant and demand to be put down. Normally, he'd have already shot a hole through the Plant Queen's leg. Normally he wasn't dangling in mid air and normally his umbrella wouldn't have been so rudely stomped into pieces. Only when he agreed to talk did she put him down and level him with such a withering stare that he felt himself sink just a few inches shorter. He waddled his way toward his private office, the woman following smoothly behind him. He opened the door and stepped behind his desk, glad for the space between them. Ivy sat across from him, her legs crossed seductively.

"I hear talk that Harley's all better."

"We're not here for chit-chatting."

Feeling some of his confidence return after being behind his desk, he reached for a cigarette before lighting it and blowing a ring of smoke at Ivy.

"Then what are we here for?"

That's when he felt it. Vines. Dozens of them, slithering over his chair, his desk, his body. One even squirmed its way up and snubbed out his cigarette. He gulped.

"My vines are hungry for flesh, Penguin. Now you talk. Or. You die."

His eyes burned with his fury. "You don't frighten me. I'm calling your bluff."

"Ha. Your eyes tell a different story. I would have killed Crane had Batman not stopped me. With this very plant. Now, if you don't want to be made into kabobs, you'll tell me what the Joker's been up to. Eddie said you've got a man on the inside."

"Eddie? You're talking to that lunatic?"

She shrugged. "He may like his riddles a little too much, but that doesn't deter from the fact he's rather intelligent. Cut to the chase, Penguin. There's a sultry blonde waiting for me to get home."

"The gas mixture you know about."

"Right."

"The cryo-energy. To power his weapons."

"When is this happening, how can we stop it?"

Penguin gritted against his bonds. "We don't. We can't. It's just like Freeze's ice cannon."

Ivy's eye twitched. That fucking idiot. "You mean that this gun is going to be mobile, fire a beam with the girth the size of a tree trunk and it'll all be run off a cryo-based system? Cryo-energy. Really. Like Freeze's diamond cannon?"

The man glared at her before grunting in affirmation.

The vines suddenly disappeared and Ivy quickly stood. "Something is certainly wrong. " With that, she was gone.

* * *

_**Filler chapter? Probably. I have no excuses. I had no muse. Fixed the typos. My apologies. Alot more to come. Peace&love, fictioners.**_


	9. Chapter 9

His fingers had clenched tightly to his brow, a growing pain pounding the backs of his eyes with sharp precision. The woman in front of him shuddered, her hazel eyes brimming with tears. She cast her gaze away and hugged her arms tightly around her body, suddenly feeling ill.

The fluorescent bulbs buzzing above them were the only sound in the cavernous lab room. He had listened to her babble incessantly, desperately trying to describe to him the horrors that went on in the bowels of his Chemical division building. His mind worked quickly, turning over every option he had to deal with this problem.

His head scientists had taken inmates from Arkham, even one of the colorful villains out for Batman's pedigree, and injected them with a drug supposedly used as suppressants of violent thoughts and tendencies. Only after the first few men had been tested did the team finally realize that the drug had a wanton side effect.

"Miss Mitchell." He finally removed his hand, his blue eyes sharp like razors as he bore into her. "This medicine, this... Drug. How is it at _all_ possible that you gravely miscalculated your risk?"

She shuddered, but garnered enough courage to meet his gaze. "We didn't know they were enhancers. We noticed heightened brain activity after the initial testings. Some of the men were beginning to resort to normal human behavior, some even going so far as to feel remorse. Mr. Wayne, our goal was to help the reform process of hardened criminals. We wanted to rehabilitate them. We-"

He cut her off with a raised hand. "Miss Mitchell, in what world do you live in that experimenting with dangerous chemicals on even more dangerous criminals is acceptable? I commend you on your goal and your head being in this for good. But ma'am, you have gravely failed. And because of this mishap, one of the most dangerous men to ever walk the streets of Gotham is now, not only smarter and stronger, but currently free."

She gasped, the tears falling freely now.

He was finished, his eyes closing as if to shut out the images he could see forming in his mind. _This explains so much._

"Mr. Wayne, you-you. We tested it vigorously! Lab subjects with previous defects to violence responded splendidly! I-I"

He turned to glance around the room before heading toward the elevator.

She ran to stop him, placing her trembling hand on the elbow of his suited arm, stopping him just enough to jump in his path. "Violent, abused dogs even reverted back to a calm, mellow state. We were sure of our experiments, and I would have bet my life on this working for people. People that need help."

Those same eyes bore into her once more, somehow being more painful than the previous time. "You did not have a controlled environment. You did not have clearance. You had protocol that you disobeyed. I will have this lab area destroyed. I want every single piece of paper from here: notes, files and documents, brought to my desk by the hour's end. Every sample of this vile liquid will be collected and properly destroyed. The people associated with this project will no longer walk these halls."

"Sir, I-"

"Enough. What you have done cannot seemingly be currently reversed. You had absolutely no right to do this. The consequences have been dire, that I know. Tell your staff you are sorry. But you all will need to clear out." He curtly moved to step beside her. Her stifled sobs only added to the distressing tension.

"Mr. Wayne, I'm so sorry." she managed to squeak out, her hazel eyes red from the tears spilling down her paled cheeks.

As he pushed the button for the elevator, he turned to look at her one last time.

"The Joker lurks in the darkest depths of this city right now, Miss Mitchell. Because of this, I don't know how he will be stopped."

The doors opened smoothly behind him as he stepped forward, his hand going up automatically to hit the correct button. As the doors slid closed, he watched the woman crash to her knees, sobs wracking her frame.

* * *

Her watery footsteps sounded out of place in the empty alley. The light from the street lamps caught the water sliding over the plant queen's greened skin, illuminating the droplets like stolen diamonds and casting crystal lights dancing along the old bricks. Ivy's legs pumped, taking her those few blocks from the Lounge to her waiting Cadillac.

She slid into a turn, fetching the keys out of a hidden part of her attire. She fumbled to a stop once her emerald eyes looked to the place her car was once parked.

Suddenly an echoing sound descended upon her, causing the ground to shake below her very feet. Turning to look behind her, she was suddenly blind sided with an explosion of agony from her side as she was jettisoned through the air. She felt herself cutting through the rain soaked atmosphere, her eyes moving almost in slow motion as she blinked away water. The rogue landed awkwardly on her shoulder, her body doubling over itself as she flipped and skidded an extra few feet.

Dazed, she glanced up from her prone position on her stomach, her insides twisting in an increasing fear. The looming reptile flashed a dangerously toothed grin as a deep growl rumbled from his barreled chest.

Ivy grunted, pushing herself to her knees. The sounds of crunching metal and breaking glass caught her attention, the emerald eyes shifting a few hundred yards away at her precious Cadillac as it crumpled heavily against the ground, the car having plummeted to its demise. Suddenly feeling as though she were drowning in honey, Ivy gasped.

Around her, a thick, moving substance shifted and overtook the street. Over the sound of her own beating heart, she managed to make out a gurgling voice coming from all around her. She felt a tightness as she was hefted off the ground and twisted around to look into the glowing yellow eyes of Basil Karlo.

"Poooooison Ivy." he hissed, a melting smile overtaking his large, gloopy face.

She attempted to move, squirm, kick, do _anything_ to try and free herself. Pain exploded across her senses as Clayface squeezed her, moving his colloid form all around her, poking and prodding until he felt blood start to trickle from the wounds on her body. He chuckled, a horrid sound, before deftly tossing the woman to the waiting reptile. Croc caught her in one of his massive clawed hands, his sharp teeth glowing against the dim light in their rain-soaked surroundings. Ivy watched the water pour off his scaled body, barely registering to the monsterous fiend.

"What the hell do the two of you want?" she spat out, attempting to keep her thoughts in check and her body coiled for attack.

She attempted to keep up her bravado, though she felt a cold fear sit noticeably in her stomach. She was powerless. They had simply outwaited the red haired vixen.

His laugh thundered around them as lightning lit up the blackened skies.

"Pretty flower."

He stroked a clawed hand down her face before she mustered the strength to spit in his direction. His rasping laugh only grew in mirth before he wound back his arm and slammed the woman into the ground.

Ivy let out a strangled gasp as she felt the air escape her lungs and more of her body break under the intense force. More of Clayface's ubiquitous liquid slid around her, lifting her to face him once more.

"You were requested."

Angrily, she started to struggle against the devilish substance. Against the pain she could feel pouring over more of her psyche. She had to get free. She had to warn Harley, had to protect her. She forced her will into the seed she always had tucked away, hoping the plant would respond to its master.

The vines exploded from within the dirty chasm, sending the muddy substance spraying all over the neighborhood around them. It dissolved almost instantly upon the saturated ground.

Clayface hissed and growled out a sound of pain as he moved to recollect himself.

Hitting the ground with a heavy thud, she turned to look at the Croc as he fell upon her. She was hefted once more into the air, his shiny black eyes burning a hole into her memory as she stared at him. The plant she had ordered to life moved in her direction, aiming to ensnare the large beast. Croc nearly chucked, a loud hiss of air, before he watched Clayface smother the life from Ivy's only defense. Her heart withered deep in her chest as she watched the plant give up the last signs of life. The molten emerald eyes shifted away to stare deeply into the inky countenance of Croc.

"Burn in hell, Waylon fucking-"

The bone crunching sound faded to the heavens.

* * *

Bruce exited into the lobby, his teeth grinding tightly together. He approached the counter, his breath almost held to control the temper boiling in his chest.

He exhaled before locking eyes with the receptionist that regarded him warily. He shook off the rest of his anger before smiling briefly.

"My apologies. But if you could please gather the security in this building and have them report to sublevel B, please. Miss Mitchell and her team are the be escorted from the premises. Also, please call my office and notify my assistant that a file is to be ready by the end of the hour for her to pick up. And finally, shut down and seal all passages to and from B. There is to be no one down there, understood?"

She flushed as she scribbled the last few things before nodding and looking up at the CEO. "Is there anything else I can assist you with, Mr. Wayne?"

He smiled. "No, thank you. That should cover it. But please, ensure the proper collection of all the data. I need to know what I'm up against."

She nodded, smiling uneasily. "Yes, sir."

"Thank you, good night."

He turned toward the exit, noticing the young man fumbling with the umbrella. Bruce shook his head briefly before walking out the doors and into the storm. The trusty Royce had not moved from its position in front of the looming building. Alfred stepped out, umbrella in hand, to meet the man halfway. Opening the rear door, he let the CEO climb in, before he returned behind the wheel.

His eyes locked on his charge while his hand turned over the ignition, the engine purring the life. Nodding more to himself, he check his mirror before pulling from the curb and starting their trek back to the manor.

Bruce sat in the backseat, his cell up to his ear. His hands drummed impatiently on his knee as he awaited for the other person to pick up. His eyes instantly sharpened after hearing the familiar voice.

"I need your help."

Alfred glanced absently in the mirror, watching the man's stern face before he nodded.

"One hour. Thanks."

He flipped his cellphone shut and briefly locked eyes with his faithful friend.

"Apparently Wayne Enterprise's Chemicals division was experimenting with brain altering drugs." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before glancing out at the passing, rain-soaked city. "And it just so happens that they're enhancers, but for all the wrong things."

He felt a psychotic giddiness build inside him as he let out a breathless snort, his face cracking into a humorless smile.

"The Joker was their best candidate."

The older man shot horrified eyes to the mirror, instantly connecting with the furious azure gaze of Bruce Wayne.

"Tonight, the gloves come off."

* * *

The bullets ricocheted off the stone wall, sparking passed the two women. They rolled away from each other, each brandishing their weapons and attacking the group they forced to split.

The Joker waved his weapon, gesturing to his men. "Go get 'em, boys!"

He was content to watch from his perch as the women dodged and moved about.

An armed gunman attempted to fall upon the Cat, but she turned and brandished her whip, sending him crashing to the waterlogged pavement. More men descended upon the flipping feline, each attacking in a different direction. Selina twisted, throwing a myriad of weapons at the imposing men. The rain was slicking her costume, making moving less fluid than she liked. The men had come at her from all directions, but she was doing her best to fend them off. Her ears perked, listening from any sound of a struggle from Harley, signifying her need to escape.

The harlequin, meanwhile, was bounding along the stony structures above the roof line of the skyscraper. Bullets whizzed around her, her heart beating in her ears and her legs almost burning at the constant movement. The cold choked her lungs, making her breath escape in raspy bursts. Seeing a corner, she dove behind it and turned, popping up to fire two shots at her pursuers.

One embedded itself in a far wall, but one connected, sending a bloody cloud into the air. And still, more came.

She ducked and shuffled to a new hiding place, her eyes scanning the horizon for the green-haired fiend. Momentarily distracted, she heard a gun fire at close range. Ducking out of reflex, she rolled herself away from the cover and down to a lower level of the roof.

The Cat, having momentarily distracted the men, used her whip to climb atop one of the colorless letters. Turning, she looked down at the men as they clambered to their feet. Shifting her weight, she prepared to pounce on her charges, when an echoing bang rang out around them. She felt a searing, hot pain stab through her leg as she felt herself soundlessly start to fall forward.

Quickly her eyes darted to her right, instantly locking on the long barrel of the Colt 45 that glistened in the wet light. Feeling her body fall through the air, she twisted as best she could, pushing off with a burst of energy from her good leg to force her in a direction away from the men.

Selina twisted in the air again, attempting to avoid bullets that ripped from a semi-automatic aimed to permanently take down the cat burglar.

She felt another burst of electrifying heat shoot up from her abdomen before she was finally sheltered by a drop off to a lower roof. The ground approached faster than she anticipated and she flipped her good leg out to catch herself.

The taste of copper burned the back of her throat before she connected with the ground, her body recoiling violently at the landing, sending her good knee buckling and her limp body slamming into the concrete. She laid half on her stomach, her lungs gasping for breath and her brain trying desperately to keep her conscious.

All she heard was silence, save for the sound of the falling rain and its plentiful drops exploding against her.

Cutting through the momentary tranquility, she heard Harley's echoing, fuzzy scream cry out her name. The blue eyes of the clown were suddenly above her blurring vision.

"Jesus Christ, Cat!"

Harley ripped at her sleeves, tearing them off and pressing them to the bloody abdomen of the cat burglar.

"Heya, Cat, listen to me. You're, you're gonna be okay." She twisted to half look behind her, hearing the men attempting to penetrate their concrete haven. Worried blue eyes glanced back down to the half conscious woman. "Selina?"

Blurry blue eyes slowly moved to look at the harlequin. She knew what was happening. With what strength she had left, she swatted at the blonde.

"R-run. Ivy."

The clown looked down at the woman, tears streaming unnoticed down her white face. "I'm not leavin' ya, Cat." she choked out.

Selina nodded weakly. She could sense the men growing closer. "Ple-please." Blood spurted from her mouth and she coughed weakly. With a final push, she forced the girl away. "Go!"

Harley stood as the wall crumbled above her. Bane's masked face was all she could see. With a last look at the woman, she took a running start at the far wall.

She could hear the men's shouts behind her and the sounds of multiple guns being cocked. She closed her eyes and forced her legs to pump, propelling her toward the wall.

She felt a bullet skim her arm and she let out a hiss before she took a leap of faith toward the top of the wall. Her hands outstretched, she felt the edge under the finger tips. With a scream, she forced her way up the wall before stumbling and slipping off the building into the seemingly endless darkness.

She felt the air whip past her as her eyes opened to see the men on the ledge grow smaller as she fell. Flipping over, she fumbled for the grapple gun she had stowed away and aimed at the adjacent building.

More bullets rained down upon her, some of them skimming her skin and leaving long bloody lines. Harley felt herself panic, noticing nothing to attach the grapple to.

She let out a small scream, panic bubbling over to her common sense. She watched the street grow alarmingly closer.

In the last few moments, her eyes locked on a fast-passing fire escape. Barely registering the time to aim, she shot the weapon, praying for it to connect.

* * *

Alfred drove through the gates, opting instead to park at the front of the manor, instead of the rear garages.

Bruce was out before the car even came to a complete stop, his long legs bounding up into the manor. Alfred was quick to cut the engine and lock up before heading into the manor as well. He went through the open door, already watching the bookcase beginning to close.

Quickly covering the distance, he slipped through before the entrance sealed, his feet taking him the memorized course to the batcave.

As he descended the stairs, his eyes landed on the redhead punching buttons on the Batcave's large computer systems. He glanced around the rest of the resonant room, not finding the Master of the house.

"He's getting his suit ready." She said, smiling at the older man.

He nodded, moving over to another set of computers, pressing the innocuous buttons and watching random parts of the Batcave illuminate the pressing darkness.

Alfred shifted his eyes from the now lit Batwing, to the lights shining on a slow opening set of doors. The light caught the reflective surfacs of the well-armored, and newly outfitted, Batmobile.

Barbara's green eyes shifted to the vehicle as it seemed to drive out on it's own, settling onto the grated platform. She nodded her approval.

Another door hissed in the distance, admitting the de-cowled Batman into his vast lair.

"Barbara, thank you for your help." He offered a small smile.

"No problem, Bruce."

She wheeled over the rumbling vehicle, seeming to gently touch it for before the hatch hissed open for her. The tall vigilante stepped up beside her.

"These new cannons hold the antidote, in case things get hairy and you need to start saving people."

She spun, her eyes fixated on the docked Batwing.

"The Batwing also has them. Both can fire concentrated bullet-like projectiles, or spray a wide range of the gas. Batwing has mini bombs. I'm hoping they're not going to be needed, but there's no telling."

She had been busy, orchestrating the schematics for the new add-ons, as well as making sure there was enough of the antidote to go around, if the fight turned into chemical warfare. Barbara had been communicating with the people in the Wayne buildings, having them quickly construct the needed gadgetry under unspecified orders. She grinned before spinning to face the man.

"Bruce, did you put in a call to-"

"I did. That was about an hour ago, he should be arriving shortly."

She sighed, pushing her glasses up to rub between her eyes for a moment. "This is going to be a major fight, Bruce."

His face was stern as he nodded. "Now that we know the Joker used the Chemical division's 'miracle remedy,' I know we have to be more careful in combat. I'm glad the storm is here, it might delay Joker a little bit. Barbara, did you happen to-"

Barbara smiled, her eyebrow going up for a moment. "I made an antidote for that miracle juice, too. That's what the green button is for. And..."

She wheeled over to the set of computers she had been sequencing, reaching for a handheld device. The red head held it out for him to take.

"This is for hand to hand combat. There are several, just in case. It should just attach to your belt."

Alfred moved to step beside the Bat, his face lined with concentration.

"And also, Master Bruce, Oracle has altered some more weaponry for the vehicles, made specifically for shutting down any and all cryo-based systems with a controlled burst of energy. That should make this at least a tiny bit easier."

The raven haired man smiled briefly, his eyes moving over the vehicles needed to combat this war.

"I can control the Batcycle form the cave. I had it fitted with the same sort of weaponry as Wing and the Batmobile. It has extra armor, so I can mow down some clowns."

Her infectious smile spread to both the men, Alfred chuckling at the woman. The mood turned serious after a moment, the silence stretching briefly.

"Are you ready for this?" she asked, her green eyes trained on the unmasked face of the Dark Knight.

He nodded.

"I will _not_ let him win."

* * *

_I love the word 'gloopy.' So: many moons later, here's chapter... 9? Yeah. 9. Thanks to all readers and reviewers, new and old. I attempted this chapter a million times and still am not happy, yet I am still mildly satisfied. I hope some of you will be, at least. Sound off. _


	10. Chapter 10

There was a faint whirring sound blanketing the dark room, barely audible against the tremendously pouring rain. A small shaft of gray light dribbled in from an unseen window, illuminating a heavily blood stained floor. A heavy noise suddenly disturbed the relative silence in the vast room. The squeak of a rusty hinge gave way to a sudden shaft of devilish orange light, allowed only through the doorway and into the inky darkness. A silhouette cast a long, bizarre shape against the far wall as the shadow rustled, playing out a scene without true definition. The shadowed figure grunted, hefting the cargo he carried over his shoulder to hover immobile over his head before he tossed the form as if it were a rag doll.

The broken body of the Plant Queen landed with a solid thud before rolling slightly, the dirty red hair catching some of the light peeking around the large, looming shadow in the doorway. With a final glance, the figure left, slamming the metal door. The echo faded into nothingness.

* * *

The multi-billionaire stood looking over the final plans and modifications implemented for this horrific undertaking, an antsy feeling welling in his stomach as his eyes flicked from image to image. His mind momentarily focused on the quick, sure keystrokes of the red head off to his left. Turning slightly to watch the computer screen as she entered in seemingly obscure sequences, his eyes watched schematics and other images flicker into view before disappearing just as quickly. The woman was insuring that nothing was going to go wrong while the man was in the city.

A sudden sound of boots on metal stairs bounced through the shadows around the group occupying the main floor of the Batcave. Three sets of eyes turned to the same innocuous location on the cusp of light emanating from the many computers and floodlights surrounding them.

The soft glowing lights hungrily caught the cerulean bird splayed across the strong chest and shoulders of the new arrival. Coming fully into the halo of light around them, mask encased eyes shone brilliantly under messy bangs, a small smirk gracing the lips of the younger ward.

Barbara smiled brightly, the former crime fighter adjusting herself to look fully upon one of her very best friends.

"Dick, it's so good to see you."

* * *

Harley's eyes stared intently at the seemingly slow motion grapple as it cut through the storm toward a gripping point. She faintly heard a click of metal as the claw's fingers just barely registered the rail, quickly locking tightly onto the fire escape. The harlequin felt a sharp pain in her shoulder as her body stopped at the sudden tautness in the line anchored tightly to her hand. She let out a short cry as her body swung violently in the new direction, the rogue feeling a new fear bubble in her chest as the ground was still fast approaching.

She tucked her legs in, fearful of the painful landing that she could see in her immediate future. Her body sliced through the surrounding rain droplets, her hand finally slipping and giving out against the new strain it felt itself fighting. With a scream, she balled herself as best she could in the small space as she slammed into a group of trashcans before spinning into the side of a looming dumpster.

She felt pain explode across her senses, her vision blurring slightly against the sudden onslaught of white hot agony. Blue eyes stared at the sky above, the body tingling in shock at the forceful impact.

The clown lay motionless for a few moments, the haze buzzing in her ears. She could faintly make out the quiet sounds of the city as she lay, her mind shifting back to the image of a broken Selina Kyle. The blonde felt tears sting her eyes as she shut them, willing herself not to think of the horrendous things that could befall her friend. In the stillness of the alley, Harley allowed herself the luxury of crying for a moment, the emotions of her rooftop ordeal and the fact that she had failed Ivy swirling dangerously in her mind.

The raindrops on her newly bare arms stung her deeply, the water licking at her wounds and cuts as if it were fire. The long, bloody lines littered her body, the blood mixing with the rain and starting in rivulets down the alley.

Harley sniffed, pushing away her moment of sensitivity and absently wiped at her rain soaked face. The harlequin chanced sitting up; she cried out and fell limply back to the cement, her ribs sparking with anguish.

She felt tears sting her eyes again as she forced herself up on shaky arms, her body doubling over itself. The blonde tucked her legs under her and hugged her midsection tightly, feeling nausea burn her belly. Harley sat there for a moment before huffing out her upset and wrestling herself to her feet. She felt her knees shake as she bent over, placing her hands on them as if to quell the tremor. For a few moments she stooped, before she bent to her full height, a deep breath escaping in a wet whistle.

Determined blue eyes stared outwards, her mind resolving itself to find Her Queen, The Cat, and the Demon of Gotham.

Taking a tentative step forward, she gauged her body's strength. Satisfied, she began a light jog out towards the street.

_I'll find you, Ivy. I promise. Please... wait for me._

* * *

The white skull-like mask glowed like a beacon in the darkness; the red eyes of the mask shone with an inner light. There was a muted sound of boiling liquid that clung to the air around the toxic man. Bane hefted his massive form through the winding corridors of the warehouse, his heavy footsteps rattling the broken windowpanes as he passed. Finally, his evil eyes landed on the door he sought. Leaning back and balancing the woman on his shoulder, he slammed a booted foot into the door, nearly breaking it off its rusted hinges. His sinister eyes scanned the room briefly before taking in the form of the battered Vixen of the Vines. He seemed to scoff before he slid his charge easily into his hands. He slid the goggles off the cat burglar's head before he tossed her into the room.

Selina Kyle hit the solid floor with a wet sound and shifted slightly, blood smearing on the dirty floor. Her battle suit was tattered and soaked, the exposed skin littered with wounds and grime.

Bane turned himself around and slammed the door as he exited, the top hinge finally breaking off under the extreme force. An uneven shaft of light now illuminated the darkness of the room, showering weird shapes across the bodies of the two women. Rain hissed through the darkness.

* * *

Men littered the factory floor, some milling about as others worked to complete their War machines. Three of the vehicles were fitted with the bubbling substance, the eerie green liquid bouncing emerald ripples along the floor and walls of the vast space. Heavy footsteps shook the foundation around the large group of men, the many eyes turning to look in the direction of the pounding.

Waylon Jones emerged from under an open bay, his body unfolding to his full height. The men in the factory shuffled nervously, their eyes looking everywhere but the looming beast. The creature in question snorted mirthfully, the air creating a large puff of steam in the cool atmosphere.

The sound of metal striking concrete wafted through the air, catching the attention of the large reptilian monster. Black eyes turned toward the source.

The Joker stood, his gold-tipped cane tucked neatly under folded hands, his face hidden below the large brim of his wide Fedora. The yellow teeth caught the light eerily.

"Welcome back, Crocky." The white-faced fiend looked up, his eyes burning with merriment and fury, his lips twisted in a demonic grin.

"Where's the other?" His tone was bored.

The croc licked his sharp fangs, black eyes flicking to a place past the Joker's shoulder.

Turning, the green-haired maniac zeroed his eyes onto the brown substance oozing through a high window, the liquid moving quickly. Basil Karlo's monstrous form slowly took shape on the factory floor, his glowing yellow eyes focusing in on the scene in front of him.

The Joker smiled, turning his gaze back to the reptile. "So your mission was successful?"

Clayface laughed, a gurgling sound. "She stoooood not a chancccce."

The Joker's laugh exploded from within him, his free hand moving to grasp at his stomach in a darkly comical way. Still laughing, he jumped down from his perch and began to wander around the large room. Stifling his laugh to a gentle chuckle, sharp emerald eyes moved over each vehicle, his unwavering gaze taking in every detail.

He leisurely made his rounds, the heels of his wingtips clicking gently in the relative stillness. Happy with what he was seeing, he made his way back to the raised platform, his men moving forward to gather beneath him.

The Clown Prince paused a moment before he bumped at the brim of his hat with his golden Joker cane, tipping the headwear out of view of his sadistic face.

Above, Bane emerged from the shadows, his body tearing through the air as he descended upon the group. He landed behind the green haired man, the force of his landing splitting the concrete, creating a small crater in the floor.

The Joker didn't even flinch. Without turning to the masked man, he held up a gloved hand, waiting.

Bane took two heavy steps forward, placing the Cat's goggles in the Clown's outstretched appendage.

Pleased, the Joker looked over the orange-red lenses of the Cat's eyewear. He absently wiped a smudge from them before he removed his hat, sliding him down his face to hang loosely at his neck. He once again gently placed the hat back on his head before scanning his men. He opened his mouth to speak.

"Boys... I'm proud of us." He smiled, his eyes scanning the painted faces of his loyal brood. Red lips parted dangerously as another cackle escaped the maddened fiend.

"Batman and his Gothamites will bend to our will tonight. They will fall to their knees at the name Joker! They will beg us for their lives. We'll be Kings." He finished in a whisper.

The men cheered, their raucous laughter shattering the unease in the room. Holding up a gloved hand, the Joker shushed them.

"Destroy them all. Make this city quake in fear! We're the masters of this city, now. But remember, the Bat is mine."

The men nodded. Gleeful electricity shot through the crowd of the thugs. This is what they were all waiting for.

Croc, Bane, and Clayface fell into place behind the Joker, their menacing forms barely denting the excitement in the room.

The Joker cleared his throat loudly, the men immediately shifting their attention back to the man.

"One more thing, boys... I want Harley Quinn's head on a spike."

He pulled the trigger on a gun he pulled from his jacket, sending streamers and confetti through the air in the factory. The men cheered, scrambling about the area, manning vehicles and collecting a small arsenal to carry with them to war.

The factory awoke with the sounds of men moving, engines rumbling, and seemingly hundreds of guns being loaded. The factory lights dimmed and the doors slowly began to open. The army of men emptied slowly from the warehouse, many groups dispersing to get themselves scattered across the vast town. The Joker stood still on his platform, his eyes a hateful burn of molten emerald. He turned on his heel, those burning eyes switching back and forth between the large villains.

"All of you know what to do."

They nodded, each taking an exit from the warehouse in an explosion of glass and metal. The Joker turned back around and started for the exit. The silence in the warehouse made his smile widen. The plans he had so carefully constructed were finally coming to light.

Before stepping from his hideout, he tipped his hat forward, casting his face into dark shadows. He stepped into the torrential rain, his right hand resting deftly on his cane. One of the outfitted vehicles slowly rolled up to him and stopped, a painted goon opening the door for the Clown Prince.

"We're ready, Boss."

Fiery emerald eyes looked up from under his brim, his deathly smile plastered on his white face. A crack of lightning behind him illuminated the Joker in white shadows, causing the goon to gulp in mild discomfort. The Joker tilted his head before stepping forward.

"Your move, Batman."

* * *

Dick Grayson stepped up to the small group, his eyes passing from Alfred to Barbara, and finally settling on the Dark Knight.

"I came as soon as I could, Bruce." His face was serious.

The taller man eyed him carefully before nodding. "I appreciate the help, Dick."

They clasped hands briefly before both turning toward the large monitors on the walls. Barbara turned herself back around, her fingers moving gracefully across the keyboard.

"Dick, I sent you some of what was going on, did you get it?"

He nodded. "This sounds like a total mess. How did this happen?"

Bruce clenched his jaw, his hands moving forward to rest on the console.

"It's complicated. Wayne scientists performed experiments on the Joker. The results were not what they were expecting."

The shorter man scanned the images flashing across the screen.

"Barbara sent me the schematics for these vehicles they stole. The prototypes? What are they expecting? I know Scarecrow had something to do with it."

He absently ran a hand over his hair. The Caped Crusader looked over his shoulder at his good friend, his mind wandering for a moment.

"I don't think we have time for a total explanation right now, Dick. The gas we're dealing with is a mix of fear and Joker gases."

Nightwing's eyebrows drew tightly together, his head shaking in disgust.

"How do we stop it? Where do we start?"

The billionaire walked to another monitor and console, his fingers dancing quickly across the blank keys.

"We have new fittings for each of the vehicles that Barbara can explain to you in a moment. What we know indefinitely is that Killer Croc, Clayface, and Bane are all working alongside Joker. We have to wary of them when we're out there. We also know that Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are targets in his plans, so we also have to look out for them as well."

"What about Selina?"

He paused. "I don't know."

Images flashed across the screen, showing 3D models of the city. Different blips on the map flickered. Bruce moved atop one and clicked it.

"I have a hunch that the Steel Mill was a base of operations. However, if they're on the move already, all of Gotham is at risk. We need to move quickly. Alfred and Barbara will be taking care of the Bat Bike and the helicopters. We'll have a multitude of weapons on hand in case."

Barbara came up alongside the tall man.

"There are numerous weapons I've modified for all the vehicles. Batwing has mini bombs, and the standard arsenal. There's a concentrated antidote in each vehicle to combat the gas as well. This is full chemical warfare. You know how to use all the fancy bells and whistles, right Dick?"

She smiled at him, causing the man to smile back.

"I know my way around a Wayne vehicle. Anything else I need to know?"

Bruce turned to look at him, his eyes serious. "The Joker is more dangerous than we've ever seen him. Be careful."

Alfred finally stepped up, his gloved hands clenched tightly at his side.

"And also, Master Dick, the sheer manpower at the maniac's disposal is much larger than we've ever seen it. This will be a long night for you both."

Both of the men nodded before locking eyes.

"I got Batwing."

Bruce nodded.

"Watch the skies, Dick. We'll be in contact."

He pulled his cowl over his eyes, settling it perfectly on his face. Lights came up, revealing the drag strip out of the Batcave. The platform holding the modified Batmobile turned and rose slightly, facing the powerful machine toward the city. Batman walked to the car and stopped beside it. He turned to face the other three.

"Good luck, everyone."

The cover hissed, admitting the man to the helm. The powerful engine rumbled in the cavernous locale, the jet engine firing to life.

Dick made quick work of the ascent to Batwing before he slid into the cockpit. The panel lit the interior in a bright blue, the many buttons buzzing to life. He pressed a small button to the side.

"Nightwing to Batman."

Bruce smiled briefly behind his wheel before he hit a button.

"Go ahead."

The young man closed his eyes and let a breath escape his nose.

"It's good to be back in Gotham."

* * *

A maddening dripping was the first sound to penetrate the fog clouding her senses. The reverberating sound ricocheted through the still abyss swirling around her, the sound causing a ripple in the atmosphere. Dim eyes opened carefully, dragging slowly within the shapeless environment she found herself. For brief seconds, her blank eyes stared upwards towards a ceiling she could not see.

Her body felt numb, but tingled at the same time. Her fuzzy mind recalled the sharp recoil as she had been slammed into the rock hard pavement, her breath escaping her as her consciousness faded into oblivion. The memory of her spitting at the scaled creature flashed before her mind's eye, blurry and silent. She remembered the bitter rage that clouded his impossibly dark eyes before her body was crushed, bones shattering against a Gotham street.

She regretted the decision to travel to Penguin's, regretted leaving her guard down for such an extended time, leaving her wide open for such an attack. Poison Ivy did not do things off the cuff; she was a thinker, a planner. Waylon Jones and Basil Karlo would not have fared so well against a fully cognizant Ivy- there would have been a drag out battle, but she would have come out victorious.

The sight of Harley passing through her conscience shattered the thought. The Plant Queen felt a bit of dread settle inside her chest. Was Harley safe? Was she still alive?

She closed her eyes, extending her senses along her violently battered body. Her senses tingled briefly, as they focused on each appendage of the Vixen. A few broken bones, maybe more. She could not fully tell.

With an exaggerated slowness, she set her will at moving any part of her anatomy, praying something would respond to her gentle urging. For long minutes, nothing happened; finally, she felt the feeling return slightly to her arms.

Gathering what strength she could seem to find, she shifted her arm to run down her body, her numb fingers searching blindly for a seed tucked away in her barely remaining costume. Finding it, she plucked it free of its home before forcing her arm upwards to pop the seed in her mouth.

For long moments, the red haired woman laid there, slowly feeling function return to her exhausted vessel, her arms and legs supremely heavy.

As she felt more life shift into her flesh, her eyes began to wander around the darkened room, searching for any signs as to where she was hidden.

Seeing nothing to her left, she shifted her head, her neck straining to look to her opposite side. Her eyes immediately caught the motionless outline of another body on the floor, lying a few feet from the Plant Mistress. A gasp caught in her throat.

"S... Selina?"

The woman craned her neck, her eyes straining in the low light to justify the form's identity. She could smell the strong aroma of copper and dirt permeating the darkness, the rogue's nose burning at the powerful onslaught.

She lay for several moments, eyes transfixed on the other form that had not stirred. Slowly, Ivy felt more strength returning to her prone form. Chancing her new coming strength, she began the agonizing process of turning her body toward the cat burglar.

Seconds wore on as the red head turned herself, feeling small bursts of pain shoot across her synapses, the spasms causing her breath to escape in ragged bursts.

More of her body came back to the semi-conscious state, the green woman urging herself to get to the other occupant in the room, an unyielding fear bubbling through her taut muscles. Inch by inch, Ivy pulled herself along the dirty floor, her eyes never once wavering from the Cat's turned back.

Finally reaching her charge, Ivy propped herself up on an unsteady elbow, her free hand making a slow journey to the Cat's injured form. Bloody fingers shakily looked for a pulse, faintly feeling one beat in response to the silent inquiry.

Ivy grunted, latching her hand onto the Cat's arm, tugging at her to turn her onto her back. The shaft of light dribbling in from the distance illuminated the pale skin under the burglar's torn suit, revealing a badly injured Selina Kyle.

Ivy brushed her still numb fingers across the forehead of the Cat Burglar, her heart hurting for her like she never dreamed possible. Ivy pulled herself up to a sitting position, pausing for a moment as another wave of sickening pain brought itself upon her. She scooted herself toward the only light in the room, extending her arm to slip under the Cat's silent outline.

Again, Ivy shuffled along the floor, her resolve causing beads of sweat to form at her matted brow. More pangs shifted up and down her body as she demanded movement, her bruised self doing the best it could to comply.

Finally, fully within the square of light on the floor, she mustered a final heave of strength, pulling the raven-haired woman into her bruised lap. Tired emerald eyes scanned the length of the woman, her gaze taking in all the damage that truly was done to the other rogue.

Ivy again felt along her tattered cloth, looking for more seeds she had stashed for any kind of emergency. Having found another she was searching for, she parted the Cat's cracked, dry lips and placed the seed gently into her mouth.

She worked the muscles in Selina's face and neck for a moment before she settled herself, her eyes once again scanning the torn body in her arms.

"I hope that helps." She rasped, feeling more pain flicker across her conscious mind. She was parched to a painful degree, but her body lacked any real energy to do something about it. The dripping once again returned to her attention, her mind wondering if there was any way to gather the water.

Ivy was sitting for long moments, absently rocking the other woman in her arms, hand pressed hard against the clotted gunshot wound, waiting for her own body to try its absolute best to heal the worst extent of her injuries. Shaded green eyes scanned the Cat once more, her emerald orbs finally catching a small hint of red in the burglar's clenched fist.

Tugging at the hand, it uncurled, emptying a piece of ripped garnet cloth into the waiting hand of the red head. Instantly her mind registered the owner.

"Oh... Oh, Harley. You were with her when she was attacked..."

She closed her eyes, blocking out the images suddenly flooding her mind. "Please... please be safe, Harley."

Tears pricked her eyes, her torso leaning forward over the Cat, silent sobs wracking her body.

Gunshots exploded in the distance, signaling the beginning of war.

* * *

_Okay, this chapter... Hm. It's a filler. I'm sorry if it's not what you were expecting. I'm getting toward the end. It's almost 1 a.m._

_PS: The third hyena is named Al. I wanted three. I can do that. I write fiction and bend ideas. _


	11. Chapter 11

The door finally splintered, admitting the haggard harlequin to the shadowy structure, her soaked form splattering drops of water across the concrete floor. She fumbled with the wall to her left, fingers blindly searching for the switch. Cursing, the blonde faced the wall, both hands moving along the crumbly surface before finally finding the button. Harshly slamming her palm against the smooth object, the switch groaned before light flickered on in the cramped space. Harley blinked against the sudden illumination, her bloodshot eyes darting around the room for the object she sought. A large, cloth covered shape caught her attention, her feet quickly bringing her to the large form. She smiled and grabbed an edge of cloth, ripping it free in one fluid motion.

The shabby white-blue light in the room sensually bounced off the polished armor of her hammer truck, the black and red paint almost shining with a surreal inner luster. Harley clamored aboard, checking to make sure all weapons and hidden surprises were still intact on her second favorite ride. Satisfied, she settled herself behind the wheel, her left hand reaching under the gas pedal for the keys. A few moments passed before she pulled them free, her blue eyes smiling at the shiny metal key before she slammed it in the ignition, turning the key over and allowing the massive engine to roar to life. She smiled evilly, revving the pedal before shifting gears, jamming on the gas to lurch the massive truck toward the streets of Gotham.

The hammer truck spun out of the garage, two of its fat tires suspended just above the asphalt as Harley took the turn out of the garage at impressive speeds. The truck righted, the massive tires bouncing incredibly against the rain soaked surface. Harley flicked the headlights on and pounded the accelerator, pushing the behemoth vehicle toward a glow in the sky.

* * *

Ivy sat almost perfectly still, eyes closed, ears open to any sounds out of place in her dirty prison. She felt the effects of the seed slowing down, her body healed as best as she could hope for in her current situation. The Cat still lay splayed in her lap, blue eyes closed, her chest gently expanding with short, labored breaths. The plant queen was unsure if her charge would survive this night, her mind shifting again, as to whether she should abandon the injured cat burglar and seek some sort of help. Her mind, however, urged her against it, the sounds of a battle again registering in her ears.

Suddenly, a sound pierced the shadowy haven around her, shaking the very floor in which she was seated. Her eyes zeroed in on the door, her skin tingling in the tense air. In a moment of stillness, the air was disrupted abruptly as the door shot from its hinges before slamming loudly against a shadowed wall. Ivy leaned forward over the still unconscious form of the other rogue, a growl bubbling in her throat.

Moments passed before a large shadow came creeping into the room, the shape flashing random images of Ivy's attacker through her mind. An odd laughing sound filled the space around them, the nightmarish chuckle bouncing violently around the seemingly endless chasm. Croc's form finally seemed to take appear, his deep black eyes catching the woman in statuesque fear. His reptilian face mustered an evil grin.

"Hello again, Ivy."

She growled, her grip tightening around the other woman.

"What the fuck do you want?"

Her voice sounded as scratchy and dry as did his own. The vixen's mind raced frantically, trying to find any sort of escape from the monstrous villain.

"You and the kitten are needed for our masterful takeover of Gotham."

His massive form stalked toward her, his eyes glowing with an inner fury. Reaching the two women, he extended a clawed hand toward the Cat still resting in Ivy's lap. She lashed at him at the last second, swinging at his hand and leaning over the broken woman.

"Don't you fucking touch her."

He offered a humorless smile before he swung his massive arm, slapping the redhead a few feet toward the far wall. The villainous monster moved slightly away, reaching in the shadows for chains stored to his right. He bound Selina in them and left her, his focus now on the still reeling Poison Ivy.

In her distraction, she failed to realize she had been gathered in chains to face the vile creature. Emerald eyes bore into stony black, her face set in ice. Croc chuckled.

"You are powerless against me, wench."

He squeezed her to prove his point, the Plant Queen gasping at the pressure on her skin.

"You're coming with me. Both of you."

Her eyes shifted beside her, her vision catching Selina's head lolling to the side as she lay imprisoned on the floor. Ivy slid her eyes closed, willing her energy to focus on healing her battered vessel as she was hefted over a scaled shoulder and taken captive once more.

* * *

Already there was damage done to multiple parts of Gotham, the three modified cars of the Joker's army scattered to separate areas. Joker's car sped quickly and quietly toward center city Gotham, the Wayne Tower and other buildings his primary targets. The goon behind the wheel heard a crackle over the radio, his fingers fumbling with the knobs to get a clearer reception.

"Yeah, J1 here, go 'head."

Static greeted the interior of the car before a distant voice echoed over the connection.

"Hey, man, the Bat's out here already. Watch yer ass- AAHHH!"

The connection went fuzzy again, different hushed sounds flickering in and out of reception. Multiple crashes and explosions were heard before all sound cut out. The driver slammed his fist into the console.

"NO, come on! Damn it!"

The Joker chuckled gently from the back seat, his eyes alight with an eerie calm.

"War has its tragedies, boy. Now... turn it on."

Nervous, the man did as directed, the other goon in the front seat hitting switches along the vast dashboard, his brow knitted in total concentration. The lights of the large war machine cast the interior in a bright green glow, the Joker's smile even more insane in the odd color. The vehicle's hydraulics groaned, the hatch on the back of machine openly slowly to the rainy skies. The massive ray rose smoothly into the wetness, the chrome of the machine reflecting small diamonds as it passed by the many streetlights.

The Joker stood and flipped himself behind the massive controls of the gun, the panel lights blinking in a seemingly random pattern. With a gloved hand, the Clown Prince flipped a switch on the panel, his eyes watching as the gas began to power up the gun. The air whipped through his hair as his goons drove on, his steely emerald eyes scanning his fast moving surroundings, looking for his first victim.

* * *

Finding the first of the Joker's vehicles had been relatively easy for the man in the sky. Dick Grayson had started out in the direction of the Industrial District, his own instincts telling him that Bruce had been right in his assumptions. Not far from the Steel Mill he found his first group of targets, a lone vehicle surrounded by a small army of the Joker's foot soldiers. He made a quick scan of the area with Batwing's system before almost dropping in on them in utter silence. The accuracy of his dropped bomb had exploded close enough to knock most of the men down, before he doubled back and specifically targeted the glowing War machine.

A few quick shots to just the right place permanently crippled the vehicle, the tanks holding the deadly gas still relatively intact against the former Boy Wonder's well placed round of fire.

Before the men could even register the full scale of the attack, their primary objective had been forcibly shutdown by the presumed Caped Crusader, a slew of curses filling the void around them. Dick had dispatched a device into the melee, the heavy sphere creating a large divot in the blackened asphalt. The confused men shot aimlessly into the inky, thunderous skies, hoping against hope to land a shot on the silent hunter that stalked them.

"Where is he!?"

From his vantage point in the cockpit of the Batwing, Dick had a clear shot of the gas tanks in his sights before he pulled the trigger, the shell hurling toward its target at blinding speed. Men in the vicinity of the blast were dazed as they were thrown to their feet; the green mist oozed through the rain in all directions from the blast. The previously deposited, strange device suddenly fired to life, a blue glow emitting from the newly opened portholes. A loud sound shook the roadway, the men on its surface rattling anxiously, pleading for the awful rumbling to stop quickly.

The green mist was suddenly attracted to the glowing blue globe, the gas almost magically disappearing into the large vacuum space the sphere created. The goons were shocked silent, aghast at what was transpiring in a matter of seconds. The black orb slammed shut and, beeping once with a red beacon, glowed menacingly in the torrential rains after sealing the gas away.

Above them, Nightwing silently pumped his fist before thrusting the aircraft toward his vaulted orb, a small smile gracing his lips.

"One small victory."

As the Batwing swung above the men, sharp sapphire eyes took in the sights of the blinking black sphere and the smoldering wreckage of one of the Joker's modified machines. His eyes focused in on the orb, his thumb moving mindlessly toward the one switch that would retrieve the spherical prison.

On the ground, one of the goons glanced to the sky, his vision catching a silently moving shadow hovering above them.

"Hey, I found him! GRENADE!"

He pulled the pin with his teeth, hurling the small bomb toward the hovering black figure.

Amused, Nightwing shifted his feet, adjusting the thrusters to rocket him directly upwards and out of harm's way. The raven-haired man then maneuvered the Batwing to shift over, his blue eyes flicking downward to the panel to locate another of his favorite buttons.

The scanners on the dash beeped loudly, alerting the vigilante to munitions being loaded around him. He smiled again, his forefinger hitting a small blue button to the right of the steering column, a nondescript cylindrical object falling from the under carriage of his plane.

As it landed, a bright, painful flash stunned the small army of Joker goons, momentarily blinding them from their surroundings.

Taking full advantage of their distraction, Nightwing bumped his fist into a large circular button, the action causing a rippling disruptor signal to resonate from the craft.

As the goons shook off their dazes, each shuffled awkwardly, reaching for their weapons and taking aim at the now fully visible Batwing as it hovered quietly, high above the group of men.

"Take this fucker down, boys! Shoot!"

Nightwing smirked, his right hand hitting the retrieval button for his orb while his left thumb pushed toward a blinking switch on his control panel.

"Sorry, guys, but I just do _not_ have time to play."

As soon as the screen flipped to life, showing safe retrieval of the gas-filled orb, he quickly flipped the switch, peeking out the window of his cockpit to watch the new gadget cut through the rain as it fast approached the ground.

The men, finally realizing their guns had been jammed by the strong wave that passed over them only seconds before, watched the newest object fall toward the earth before most turned to run from the inherent danger.

As the capsule touched the rough surface of the road, it erupted, sending electric charges skittering through the water-soaked atmosphere and catching each of the men as they clobbered the ground with their heavy boots, the shock coursing up their bodies and jolting them into unconscious. Dick noticed the echoing blast pass through the town, causing lights to flicker briefly but ultimately remain on.

Gently piloting Batwing around the damage area, he nodded his head, pleased. His gloved hand reached for the knob on his Comm Unit, his signal cutting through to the Batcave.

"Got one down, locking the perimeter now."

With his spare hand, he tapped one last switch, dropping perimeter charges to block off the area, keeping everyone out, but all the goons inside.

He heard the Comm hum before Barbara's voice cut through the relative silence.

"Good job, Dick. I'm sending you more locations."

Dick glanced back at the scene to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. Satisfied, he turned his attention back to the information as it flooded in from Command. Locking the signal, he turned the engines to speed and headed towards a new challenge.

* * *

Batman let the last of the goons slip from his grasp, his sharp eyes scanning the area around the small warzone. A short titter across his comm system caught his attention. He pressed two fingers to his cowl, his breathe silencing.

"Go ahead."

"Bruce, Alfred noted a strange heat signature enroute toward Center City. It's a SWAT truck, and I'm willing to bet that that's what the Joker's transporting his gas canisters with."

He nodded. "I'm on it. Send me the location."

He paused, allowing the information to pass to his cowl and Batmobile. The tall man walked quickly toward his purring ride, his eyes aimlessly wandering the scene he had caused.

While heading into town, his radar had easily picked up on the vehicle and he made quick work of tracking it down. The remnants of the automobile littered the street Bruce currently walked, smoking billowing from the piles of twisted metal.

He too had dispatched the sphere, the inevitable spread of the gas easily foreseen by the Caped Crusader. Even as the men had pummeled his armored car with bullets and other weapons, his main focus had always been containing the gas.

As he approached the stationary Batmobile, movement caught his attention for the left. He turned, cautiously approaching it, hand hovering over his utility belt.

A man, middle aged and muddy, sat up from the street, his scraped hands lifting upward to wipe at a cut on his forehead. Batman walked up to him, kneeling down to his level and inspecting the man closely.

"Jesus Christ, what was that craziness, Batman?"

Cerulean eyes took in every aspect of the man, relieved to find him in mostly good condition. He stood, offering his hand.

"The streets of Gotham are not safe. You need to be inside."

Before Bruce had arrived on scene, the goons had already taken fire on the unsuspecting bystanders on the streets of Gotham. He had fired his antidote before dismantling the firing system, affectively stopping more of the concoction from spreading.

While he helped the man to his feet, he noticed more of the citizens coming to and attempting to stand. His focus shifted back to the man in front of him.

"You're all right?"

Shaken, the man looked around for a minute before nodding. "Yeah, uh. I guess. Headache."

The Dark Knight nodded. "Tell anyone and everyone to stay inside. It's not safe."

Satisfied that everyone infected had been all right, he quickly walked back to his car and slid behind the wheel before rocketing in the direction of the SWAT truck.

* * *

Harley further slammed her foot on the gas, the hammer truck lurching into another gear as she sped down the street. The roofless truck offered no protection from the rain, the icy droplets stinging the bullet wounds she sustained in her freefall. Her normally covered arms were bare, the skin almost blue with cold.

Still, the harlequin barely registered the pain as it nagged the back of her mind, her focus too sharp on her objective.

As she rounded a corner, her eyes registered a small warzone, many of the Joker's men running wild with their odd weapons.

She growled, pushing the pedal almost to the floor, aiming the monster truck toward a circle of laughing men. One of the goons turned as the engine roared closer, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Shit, it's Harley! Move!"

However, the reactions of some were slower as Harley bowled over them as if they were twigs. Slamming her foot on the brake, she turned her truck full circle, beams catching another group of men frozen in shock. The blonde threw the car in park and casually stepped down, her face a torrent of anger and frustration.

A black and red spiraled bat slung casually over her back, three guns strapped to her hips and thigh. A large black mallet hung limply in her hand. With her hood long forgotten, her normally pristine locks were dark and soaked, matted against her fury-creased forehead. Her mask still lay over her crystal blue eyes, the white face paint smeared and running together with her eye black, making her visage a horrifying sight. Her teeth gnashed together, her voice firing viciously from her throat.

"Where is the Joker?"

A goon snapped out of his shock at seeing the blonde rogue, a lecherous grin covering his own painted face.

"Daddy's working, baby. But I'm sure we can-"

He dropped almost instantly, Harley Quinn standing over his unconscious body, her hand spinning the mallet against her shoulder. Her angry sapphire eyes slowly scanned the rest of the men.

"I don't have time for your games, boys. The only thing I want to hear is what I asked, nothing more."

Another goon stood forward, his dark eyes angry.

"Who the fuck do you think you are? We'll fucking kill you."

She was on him in an instant, the mallet slamming into his head with a sickening crunch. She landed on the ground, her body springing upward as she level another glare at the men.

"I dare you. I'm not in the mood for your shit. I'm tired, I'm goddamn angry, I've been fucking shot at... The longer you take in telling me where to find him and my Red..."

She snarled, pulling one of her guns from her hip holsters and pointing it at the biggest thug.

"...the more painful this gets."

* * *

"Hey, Oracle, did you know these guys have handguns with this stuff?"

While enroute to the coordinates for the SWAT truck, Nightwing had stumbled upon a wave of pandemonium. The scanner on Batwing had identified small guns with the same gas as the large vehicles they were currently targeting.

He heard white noise greet him in response to his question. Confused, he finagled with the controls, trying to determine the problem with the Comm system.

"Hey, Oracle? Alfred? Batman?"

Suddenly he felt a sharp jolt rattle through Batwing, jostling the quickly moving aircraft.

"Hey, what the...?"

His eyes shifted quickly around, trying to locate the source of the unknown turbulence. Suddenly, a thick brown coating covered the vessel, blinding Nightwing to the outside momentarily.

At street level, Clayface had focused his extended self into seizing the hero, intent to bring him down. Feeling the vehicle fighting against his control, his mouth formed a twisted grin as he gathered himself, pulling at his captured prey with all his will.

Nightwing felt his plane quickly descending, even as the dashboard lit with every warning signal, alerting the masked hero to abort or die. Whispering a silent prayer, he bashed his fist into the eject button, suddenly feeling a rush of air and water as he pushed through the cockpit shield and the thick layer of clay surrounding the plane.

He pulled a club free of his utility belt, aiming to shoot a line and swing free, but Clayface had latched onto his booted foot, swinging him downward toward the street. Nightwing reached blindly for a freeze bomb on his belt, grabbing it and attaching it to the villain's putty form before detonating it, freezing the chunk of Clayface that held him. Suddenly feeling searing pain, Clayface recoiled, allowing the young man to escape and throw a line in enough time, causing him to hit the pavement and roll, sliding a few feet on the rain slick street.

Nightwing turned to watch as Batwing was thrown into a building, the machine exploding on impact. His sapphire eyes narrowed, the other club slipping easily into his free hand.

Clayface regrouped, his eyes boring into the raven-haired man.

Nightwing grunted and adopted a loose fighting stance.

"Let's see what you got, dough boy."

* * *

Bruce sped toward the last known location of the ever-moving SWAT truck, his face set in fierce concentration. He had already dismantled multiple other Joker vehicles while on his journey, and had taken down many other thugs. The large number of these men had not surprised him in the slightest, but the time it would take to cover them was something he simply did not have. He needed to stop the SWAT truck from rendezvousing with the Joker, wherever it was they were planning.

The green haired fiend had been on his mind since his mission started, though he had yet to come into contact with the laughing maniac.

Suddenly the Batcopter sped over him, towing a larger version of the orbs. His cerulean eyes looked forward as the armored SWAT vehicle crossed an intersection far down in front of him. Punching the gas, he took off toward the vehicle as a voice came across the Comm Unit.

"Bruce, let's stop this at the source, shall we?"

He nodded, "Do you have a clear view of the street?"

"Yes, there are three vehicles shadowing the SWAT truck, one in front."

Suddenly, Bruce cut the wheel, turning down one of the streets.

"I'll give support from behind."

Back at the Batcave, Barbara nodded, her emerald eyes scanning the monitors in front of her. She gently moved the steering column that piloted the Batcopter, her other hand pressing the Comm Link to respond.

"Will do. I'll stop this train before it gets any farther."

Bruce hit a button on the edge of the Batmobile's screen, the view seen from the Batcopter suddenly visible to him.

Barbara swung the chopper atop and in front of the line of cars, hovering above the street as she waited for the caravan to get into her desired position. Men in the forward car opened fire on the helicopter and its cargo, the bullets bouncing violently off the armor plates covering both.

Oracle's green eyes focused intently on the screen in front of her, her right thumb poised above the square red button on her steering column. As the first car's nose aligned just under her hovering copter, she pressed the button, releasing the heavy black orb.

Before the orb was fully free of the tow line, the hovering copter was attacked from the side by Bane, who had been following the Joker's caravan via rooftop. His massive form had jostled the copter, the orb swinging off its course and falling off center.

As it slammed into the rain soaked street, the driver behind the wheel of SWAT car pounded on the brakes, getting almost no traction on the rain soaked surface. It smashed heavily into the side of the orb, skittering off the road and crashing into a side of the building, stopping abruptly.

In the Batcave, Barbara tried to keep the copter steady enough, her fist slamming into the console. She jabbed the button on the Comm Link.

"Damn it, Bruce, I need you."

The Batmobile had turned the final corner, his eyes scanning the scene a few blocks ahead.

"Right here."

He lined the struggling copter and Bane in his sights and pulled the trigger.

* * *

Croc had moved easily enough through the city, his massive form almost like a wrecking ball. Ivy had remained mostly silent in his grasp, her focus more on healing herself enough to fight. The seed had done well, better than she had hoped. Her body felt more together than it had previously, greatly pleasing the redhead as she focused on a plan of attack. The seed had done well to heal her, but she was still painfully exhausted and incredibly parched. The metal prison she found herself in had done nothing to help her recover and had only numbed her body in the cold rain.

Emerald eyes tracked again to the cat burglar. Selina had not stirred once in this whole turn of events, which greatly worried the Plant Queen. Suddenly, they were jarred to a stop, Croc pausing in a dark alley. Off in the distance, Ivy could make out the sounds of a fight. She strained to hear as Croc shifted direction and picked up his speed, his massive legs taking blocks as if they were steps. The constant jostling had rubbed the Plant Queen raw in most spots, though she had yet to fully acknowledge the newfound pain. She had instead focused herself on finding the best way to attack from her current position.

Finally, after long minutes of Croc almost flying through back roads and small alleyways, Poison Ivy noticed their final destination: City Hill.

* * *

_All right, all right. I hate this chapter. I hate writing it, it's action-y. I am like Gabrielle from Xena, I cannot write action. I hope it does well enough for you guys, though. Thank you all so much for the continued support, I hope you'll like what I have in store. 100 reviews, wow._


	12. Chapter 12

There was an almost unintelligible stretch of stillness before the shell ripped through the Venom hose, the noxious green fluid spraying in an arc above the buildings beside them. The sudden withdrawal of the fluid from his system caused the towering figure to momentarily lose his grip on the violently-rocking helicopter and slip through the air in a slow, surreal visage. A gurgling scream erupted from the beastly man as he plummeted several stories toward the rain-slicked roadway.

His unconscious body slammed into the street, the ripple effect from the impact splintering the blacktop along the entire block. A trailing Joker vehicle attempted to avoid the man but garnered no traction, the car's tires cutting across the barreled chest of the rogue, the rubber of the wheels tearing at the fabric in Bane's black suit; the car slammed into the back of the motionless SWAT truck.

The driver of the second truck had swerved, avoiding both accidents before turning on two wheels to lock the artillery onto the approaching Batmobile. Another man in the vehicle hefted a rocket launcher onto his shoulder and lifted to peer out of the makeshift hole in the truck's roof. The goon behind the wheel opened fire on the fast-moving Batmobile, his painted face a distorted sight of fear and anger.

"Die, you mother fucker!"

Batman locked his sights on the truck and pulled the trigger on his firing system.

The man with the rocket launcher chuckled uselessly and fired just as his vehicle burst into flames from the hail of bullets and exploded, raining down a metallic firestorm into the rain-soaked avenue.

Above, the Batcopter had leveled and dodged, the pilotless vehicle turning toward the scene on the streets below before zeroing in on the arriving Batmobile and the truck hot on his heels. Aiming at the trailing vehicle, Barbara locked on and pressed her trigger button. The copter responded accordingly, letting loose a well-controlled 3-shot round on the large vehicle, blowing out the tires and causing the truck to veer into a still-standing lamppost.

On the ground, Bruce brought the armored mobile to a stop in the still pounding rain, his rocket system newly focused on the disabled container truck. He pressed a finger to his Comm link.

"Barbara, copy?"

There was static for a moment before the redhead's voice broke through. "Here, go ahead."

"Is the retrieval unit still functioning?"

Emerald eyes scanned the dash in front of her before confirming the sphere had not been damaged by the collision.

"Still operational."

He nodded. "Clear out, I'm going to destroy the canisters."

The Dark Knight shifted the car into reverse, the headlights of the Batmobile receding down the street as the copter hovered just out of harm's way.

"Keep your eye on Bane, he could come to any time."

"Roger."

Sapphire eyes flickered down to the targeting system on his dashboard before his left thumb jabbed into the red button, sending a well-aimed shell into the hollow cargo hold of the stolen SWAT truck. Upon impact, the bullet pierced a canister, causing it to explode. A chain reaction ensued, each of the canisters blowing at the extreme release of pressure and shrapnel pieces bouncing around the truck's interior. A green, oozing gas poured out from the holes in the truck's twisted armor-plated exterior.

From the Batcave, Barbara pressed a nondescript button on her keyboard.

On the street, the large sphere whirred to life, the blue backlit portholes sending odd shadows along the battered street. The gas, attracted to the vacuum caused by the sphere, shifted eerily, the mist disappearing almost as soon as it had come. For a long minute, the gas still oozed free before being clamped up in the menacing black sphere.

For a moment, the sphere remained active, the bright blue lights glowing eerily in the gray area before finally slamming shut and pulsing out its red beacon.

Barbara released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"Thank God, that's out of the way."

She piloted the Batcopter to hover just above the pulsing orb, readying the copter to release the tow cable.

Bruce's voice cut across her Comm link.

"I'm going to go track down the Joker's car, will you be all right here?"

Barbara nodded, pressing her finger to the Comm button.

"I'll be all right, I'll take this back to the Batcave."

Bruce nodded as he piloted his Batmobile around the carnage.

"Be careful."

* * *

In the hollow street, the Joker's maniacal laughter echoed nightmarishly through the torrential rains, pummeling the scattering Gothamites with panic and unease. A lone man scurried, unbalanced down the sidewalk, his wet soles adding to the hellish atmosphere he found himself. A faulty crack in the sidewalk, a mere centimeter in difference, caught the fleeing man, sending him crashing heavily to the slick pavement. The Joker's laugh pierced the veil of terror swirling in the man's brain, quickly overcoming his senses with crippling alarm. Letting loose a terrified scream, hazel eyes chanced a glance back at the quickly approaching Clown Prince.

Seeing an opportunity, the Joker fired.

The man, frantic to escape the odd projectile heading toward him, scrambled helplessly, trying in vain to gather traction in the water-logged street. Finally on his knees, he felt a sudden stabbing pain pulse through his back, overwhelming his already fuzzy senses. He swayed before slamming harshly onto his palms. Pressure built inside him, growing tighter with each passing second. A dark cloud settled over his mind as his body began to shake violently, his eyesight finally dimming. His body unhinged, his back arching violently as a mirthful laugh tore from his hoarse throat. The maniacal laughter mixed seamlessly with the Joker's own abhorrent glee.

On his truck, the Joker held his stomach in joy, the effects of his machine filling him with an unfathomable giddiness. The men piloting the vehicle gulped in unease, quickly glancing at each other before facing forward and continuing the trip toward Center City Gotham.

* * *

Harley sped through the streets, her concentration focused entirely on reaching City Hall and finding Ivy and the Joker. The men she had stumbled across had offered little information aside from the location of the Joker's meeting place; nothing else was said about the other rogues and zero information was known about Poison Ivy and Catwoman. Beyond frustrated, the blonde slammed her fist into the steering wheel, cursing colorfully under her breath. As she was coursing through another intersection, she was blindsided by an unknown substance, sending her Hammer truck spinning dangerously close to the buildings beside her. The large vehicle teetered on two wheels before slamming down on all four, the engine shutting down in the violent onslaught.

As she skidded to a precarious stop, her mind registered the brown mass currently covering most of her and her ride: Clayface remains. Her furious sapphire eyes focused in on the battle a few blocks over, her sharply focused mind registering Nightwing as Clay's opponent. Increasingly irritated at the state of her ride, she jiggled her shifter and fumbled with the key, growling at the darkened dashboard. With a controlled strike, she slammed her palm into the gear shifter, pumping the pedals and slamming the key forward. The engine sputtered but obediently roared to life.

With renewed vigor, Harley cut her wheel and jammed the gas, her hammer truck lurching toward the battle.

* * *

As Croc approached the Hall, his sensitive nose picked up the scent of burning mortar and trees. Shifting the cargo he hefted, Croc leapt upward, his powerful legs sending them upwards to a nearby rooftop. As he landed, his black eyes took in the full view of the City Hall roof in flames, with many of the Joker's men crawling about the area, guns and the like accompanied. With a toothy grin, Croc again leapt, landing on the pavement and bouncing, before finishing the trip in three long strides. Ivy had struggled helplessly against the raging monster that had been carrying her for the entire length of Gotham.

Croc approached the smoky building, both women still slung over his shoulders. One of the Joker's henchmen approached the towering beast, his face barely hiding a smirk.

"Good goin', Croc, Joker's gonna be so-"

Blood sprayed across the Croc's scaly chest as his claws raked across the man's throat, sending him to his stomach and an untimely death. Ivy winced at the brutality of the act.

With a hiss, Croc moved forward, adjusting Ivy's weight to hang off his arm on her chains as he slid Cat into his free arm. With another powerful leap, Croc landed on the roof above City Hall's entry way. Adjusting his weight to compensate on the still burning structure, he grabbed Catwoman's chains in his free hand and swung her downward, slipping her wrist shackles over the flagpole jutting out from the front. The Cat's seemingly lifeless form slid down the pole, the scrape of metal on metal instantly ringing hollow in Ivy's chest.

With teary emerald eyes, Ivy watched as Cat's chains stopped at the roof, her body still swaying before finally stilling. The redhead's chains rattled as the scaly creature chuckled, his black eyes locking on the sickly form of the Vixen of the Vines. He sneered.

"It's your turn now, Princess."

* * *

A bolt of lightning skittered across the sky, illuminating the battlefield below. The large cracks that had torn up the street now were filled with the still-torrential rain waters, the ripples making the destruction on oddly poetic form of injustice. The green venom had since been washed down the gutters to waiting sewer grates, the waterfall of dirty water roaring loudly in the small space of the block. Four vehicles sat twisted in the space, two of them blown open violently, the others crumpled like balls of tinfoil. Many of the Joker goons lay splayed across the soggy terrain, their bodies half burned by the explosions; some of them lay in pieces.

The titanic body that lay embedded in the asphalt twitched as dark, bloodshot eyes opened slowly. A gurgling sound escaped the masked face as Bane attempted to heft himself to his feet. The empty toxin container on his back was twisted and unrecognizable. With a mighty growl, he forced himself to his feet, ripping the container loose in doing so. Allowing his body a moment to adjust, a new feeling of rage bubbled in his chest. He had survived before without the toxin, he was determined to do so again. Taking in a quick scan of his surroundings, his dark eyes landed on the melted remains of the container truck. He grunted, his ability to care long forgotten.

With a finally glance around, Bane made quick work of leaving his crater and getting to the rooftops of Gotham. As he stretched to his full height, his eyes took in the view of City Hall's burning roof, a hidden smile stretching across his masked face. With a final thought, he bent his legs, preparing his body for the coming travel.

* * *

The Joker's truck finally arrived at City Hall, the reserve tanks on his truck almost completely exhausted from his escapades. The green-haired menace smiled at all his gathering men as he stepped down from the helm. His eyes scanned the roof of the building before landing on the Cat suspended high above them. To the right, his eyes spotted a freshly bloodied and restrained Poison Ivy, her one eye swollen shut and the other staring daggers at the lunatic. The Clown Prince walked toward the door before happening upon on of his murdered henchmen. With an air of strict indifference, his eyes glanced upwards to the left, taking in the sight of a lounging Croc atop one of the lion statues. The Joker scoffed. He hopped over the body, landing on the bottom step of the Hall.

Two men, head henchmen, quickly approached the plum-suited rogue. Joker folded his arms and nodded toward the men.

"Report, boys."

Both men shuffled anxiously. The taller one, a large, muscled man, cleared his throat.

"The container truck has been neutralized."

The Joker's face twisted at the news, but he remained silent. The second man piped up.

"J3 was destroyed by Batman. J2 is under some sort of force field: no one in, no one out. But uh, their tanks were destroyed and cleaned out, too."

The Joker's anger was almost to the boiling point. He motioned to another man before the goon tossed him his Joker cane. He tapped the metal point against the step he was balanced on, his face unreadable.

"So, there's nothing left."

The taller goon nodded nervously.

The Joker growled. It was in an instant, however, that he had pulled his Colt free of his jacket pocket and shot both of the men between the eyes before any of the men even registered the attack. It was at that instant that Bane landed heavily in the background, his shaky breathing gaining the attention of the men at the steps. The Joker looked him over.

"Tell me what happened to my SWAT truck!"

Bane huffed as he shifted forward, stopping to tower above the green haired menace. A growl escaped the masked man.

"The Bat will be killed."

Annoyed, the Joker waved him off.

"If that were true, he'd be dead already, boy."

His emerald eyes tracked to the still hovering Croc.

"I want you to guard this building. Kill anything that moves."

Furious eyes scanned the faces of the still rallied men.

"The rest of you, go cause some trouble. Burn this city to the ground. AND FIND ME THE BATMAN."

The men cheered before dispersing. As they all disappeared, the Joker turned to look over the black figure in front of him.

"Baney-boy, go find the sludge monster and put a stop to this mess. This party is only just beginning, I want no more screw ups."

As the Joker turned to walk passed the hulking man, a painted goon was sprinting toward him.

"Joker, sir!"

Irritated, the Clown Prince waved his gloved hand.

"What?"

"GCPD's been compromised!"

* * *

Barbara's green eyes scanned the many monitors in front of her, a sense of dread building in her stomach. She had lost radio and visual contact on Nightwing, and with that many Joker goons crawling the streets, she was worried beyond comprehension. Her fingers ran idly across the nondescript keys, her mind racing a mile a minute to come up with a solution to the predicament. A noise from Alfred distracted her for a moment.

"What is it, Alfred?"

The older man was busy at the other computer, his eyes staring hard at the screen, his gloved hands moving comfortably around the advanced console.

"I believe I've found Master Dick."

In an instant, Barbara was at his side.

"Where? Show me."

Alfred punched a button, pulling up the view of a street camera. Half a battle could be seen on the fuzzy screen, the majority of the view taken up by a brown mass. A blurred view of the black-suited vigilante flashed across the screen. Barbara gasped. She wheeled herself back to her console, her right hand grabbing at the controls of the Batcopter. She pressed the power button on her console, firing the safely perched bird to life.

Her emerald eyes tossed over her shoulder, her eyes zeroing in on the copter as the rotors started to spin. The gusts caused by the machine blew heavily through the Batcave, unsettling loose objects. Barbara again focused on the console in front of her, her finger moving to turn on her view from the copter. She piloted it upwards and turned it, moving out toward the exit of the Batcave. She smiled as her computer view showed the Gotham skyline once more, thankful the heavily armored copter hadn't been destroyed in her tussle with Bane.

She threw a smile over her shoulder to the still focused Alfred.

"Good job, Al."

Looking up briefly, the older man smiled, nodding.

Barbara pushed the controls, accelerating the Copter toward Nightwing's location.

"Hang on, Dick. We're on the way."

* * *

Nightwing had jumped to his left, barely avoiding the onslaught of the ubiquitous villain. The freeze bombs he had with him were only doing so much against the seemingly growing supply of brown ooze. Clayface went for a car, covering the vehicle in his form before recoiling and launching it at the ever-bounding acrobat. As Nightwing evaded, he tapped his gauntlet, grabbing the bomb that dropped and hurling it at the still-reforming monster. The bomb landed and sunk before detonating, blowing chunks of the beast across a wide berth of street.

Clayface withered, a horrid sound escaping the formless substance. The free globs of goo seemed to disintegrate against the water logged street as Nightwing slid to a stop, breathing heavily. Both his batons slid easily into his hands as he lunged toward the bulging mound that was attempting to reform Clayface.

Air whipped past the young hero's face as he fell upon the mass, one of his clubs readied with explosives. In the last second, however, Clayface imploded, sending more of his form across the block and knocking Nightwing heavily into a structure across the way. The wind escaped his lungs as he impacted before bouncing off and careening toward the ground below. In a last ditch effort, he righted himself as best he could, curling his body to better absorb the shock. Once he connected with the pavement, the raven-haired man recoiled violently, bouncing upwards and landing awkwardly on his side.

A moment of intense silence stretched around them before being destroyed by the roaring of a large engine heading down the street. With bleary eyes, Nightwing glanced up, surprised to see the black and red hammer truck screaming down the street toward the battleground.

Harley had jammed on the gas and hit the cruise control, the blonde gymnast standing up to fetch a pair of weapons from the rear of the vehicle. Once found, the blonde hefted the large, cylindrical weapon and aimed directly at the reforming Clayface.

"Eat this, DIRTBAG!"

She fired the missile on target, the screaming shell aimed for a direct hit. In his still-vulnerable form, Clayface tried in vain to avoid the oncoming projectile. When the tip of the rocket brushed the shifting entity, it exploded. The explosion from the rocket seemed to dissolve the molasses-like substance, instead of flinging it across North-side Gotham. As the explosion caved inward, Harley slammed the emergency stop button and hurled herself into the atmosphere, aiming a nondescript disk at the fireball, a mighty scream bellowing from deep within her chest.

The disk connected just as the last flickers of the explosion waned, the impact setting the sensitive disk off. Veins of an icy material snaked around the central core of the sludge, essentially freezing it solid. In an instant it was over, the large mass plummeting the final feet toward the pavement. It landed with a hollow ring, the glassy surface projecting the sound.

Harley landed silently on her feet, her sapphire eyes a burning fire of emotional torment. Nightwing lay motionless, propped up on his elbows as he stared in shock at the harlequin.

"Did you... did you just take out Clayface?"

For a moment, she stood stock still before half turning to regard him.

"I don't have fucking time for games, Birdbrain."

"But... how? How did you-"

"I used to work in Arkham Asylum, I know many things about many people. Never had a problem wit' Bazzy til now."

The sound of a helicopter gained Harley's attention as she spun, her vision centering on the aircraft. Satisfied it was for Nightwing, she turned and sprinted back to the Hammer truck that had obediently stopped for the blonde. She revved the pedal as Nightwing staggered to his feet and reached for the ladder swinging in the spaces between them. With a last look to the battered hero, she cut her wheel and slammed on the gas, spinning her truck full circle and speeding toward City Hall.

As Nightwing settled in the cockpit of the Batcopter, Barbara's worried face flicked to life on the screen.

"Dick, are you all right?"

He calmed his breathing and managed the pain coursing through his veins before readjusting his eyes on the screen.

"Yeah. I'll take over control now. What's the latest?"

* * *

On his way to City Hall, Batman had taken a quick detour to the detained GCPD building in hopes of freeing the sectioned off men in blue. The Bat had made quick work of the surrounding goons and disabled the system that had locked down the building in the first place. Already some of the policemen out on the streets had been either kidnapped or killed, and the Commissioner was so vehement, that Batman almost had to physically restrain him.

"Jim, don't let this get to your head. Rally your people, Gotham could use the help."

The gray haired man shook his head to clear it before nodding, locking his eyes on the Caper Crusader.

"What do we do, Batman?"

For a moment, the man was silent.

"We protect Gotham, at all costs."

Batman tossed a canister to the Commissioner before turning to leave.

"The gas should be mostly gone for now. But, just in case."

The gray haired man looked it over and nodded. After noticing the Bat's departure, his resolve strengthened as he left to rally the GCPD force, in hopes of reclaiming Gotham City.

* * *

_Soooo three months to update? I suck. I'm sorry, I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for sticking with me for all this time!_


	13. Chapter 13

The icy rain bounced sensuously off the polished armor of the truck as it continued its unwavering journey toward City Hall. Harley heard the distant sound of police sirens, but chose to ignore them, instead continuing her path toward the Joker. A close explosion, however, garnered her attention, the blonde rogue punching the gas to avoid whatever problem was ahead. A scream brought her out of her concentration, her focus broken for a fraction of a second as her eyes slid to the left.

A trailer-less rig took advantage of her distraction, slamming into the side of the hammer truck. At the impact, Harley was viciously thrown from the vehicle and toward the street, her body already screaming from the rig's impact. The harlequin slammed hard into the pavement, the rough asphalt tearing at the skin on her bare arms and tore pieces of her costume free as she tumbled across the slick roadway, her body finally punching to a stop against the corner of a Brownstone across the way. The rig continued forward, burying the crumpled hammer truck into the side of a skyscraper as both cars shrieked to a brutal stop.

Joker goons soon swarmed the area, yelling and hollering at the termination of the Harlequin and her ride. The goons approached the rig first, putting the thought of the blonde to the side to instead check on their comrades.

Dazed, Harley opened her eyes, squinting against the rain that sliced at her pupils, burning the sensitive orbs. White hot pain erupted across her body as her brain refocused on her injuries, her vessel screaming at the new agony. Azure eyes traveled downward, taking in her painfully chewed up arms and awkwardly positioned left leg. Her head lolled to the side, granting her visual access to the group of men currently swarming the rig that had obliterated her hammer truck. A burning anger flared in her chest, fueled by the sounds of excitement echoing from the group of thugs.

Gritting her teeth, the harlequin focused her will, forcing her body into slow movement as she gathered herself. Sliding her legs down, a pain shot up from her knee though she ignored it, forcing her hurting frame into submission. With her pulsing abdomen, she forced herself to a sitting position, hearing different bones pop and crack under the strain. Tears slipped loose from her unfocused eyes, her whole being strictly adhered to the order to stand. With a controlled growl, Harley clawed at the corner of the Brownstone, hefting her throbbing body up and to its feet.

Once accomplished, Harley leaned against the building, catching her breath and looking down at herself. She was sure to have broken something, and the blood leaking from the ripped flesh was promising to become a bigger misfortune than necessary, but the Harlequin was simply excited to be standing. A man's voice shattered her moment of relief.

"You just will not fuckin' die, will you, cunt?"

* * *

The man wavered for a minute before crashing to the ground, water exploding out from under his large form. The Joker's arm was still extended, his prized handgun still clenched tightly in his gloved grasp. He motioned to three men standing to the side. Quickly, they scurried forward, the molten green eyes focusing dangerously on them.

"Get together a group. Stop GCPD. I will not have this party ruined because the hired help can't do a fucking simple job."

The men nodded, quickly dispersing.

The Joker turned his toward both the large rogues that still remained.

"Both of you need to destroy everything. I don't care who it is, what it is, or where it is. This city needs to burn before the pathetic police try and intervene."

The Joker turned, his emerald eyes lifting to stare at the two women suspended above them. Without refocusing on the men, he snarled.

"I'll be here, waiting for the Bat. I want him to escape here, alive. Do you think you could do that for me without fucking it up? Bane!?"

The masked brute grunted, a gravelly sound emitting from his covered face.

"The Bat will come through untouched."

Nodding, the Joker turned to look at them once more.

"Before you two destroy this city... I need you to take out what other help the Bat must have. It must _only_ be him that remains. Now go, get the hell out of my sight."

Bane and Croc turned in unison, the scaled monster jumping off his high perch and across the lavish greens outside City Hall. Bane took the stretch of green in two strides before hopping to a roof and disappearing behind it. Emerald eyes turned to regard both women.

Shifting his weight, the Joker slid a gloved hand into his coat, pulling free a brightly colored Uzi and aiming it upward. He pulled the trigger.

* * *

Sirens blared as a fleet of cop cars flooded the streets of Gotham, their flashing lights bouncing demonic shadows across the buildings of their beloved city. The Batmobile had led the first influx of cars before breaking free, the goal still clear in the Bat's mind. A crackling over the Comm unit gathered his attention, and with practiced ease, he hit the button on the console.

"Go ahead."

More static before a clear voice came over.

"Sorry, Batman. I had a tussle with Clayface; he destroyed Batwing."

Fingers tightened around the wheel, unnoticed.

"Are you all right?"

A beat.

"Yeah, I'm all right. A little roughed up."

"What happened to Clayface?"

Another pause.

"I don't know, but I think Harley might have... might have killed him."

There was a stretch of silence before Bruce responded.

"Quinn?"

"Yeah, she said he knew many things above many of the rogues. I have no clue what happened to him, but I don't think you can come back from that."

Bruce nodded more to himself, knowing the young hero couldn't see his face. Harley had become very different since splitting from the Joker, the blonde far more centered, resulting in her being far more dangerous. Because Ivy was on the line, the Dark Knight knew that nothing was taboo to the rogue. He refocused on Nightwing.

"We'll keep an eye out for her. Keep an eye out for Bane and Croc as well, and give help to GCPD when you can. I'm heading to City Hall to put an end to this."

"I hear you loud and clear, Batman. Be careful out there. Nightwing out."

Once the link severed, the Caped Crusader pressed the gas tight to the floor, the rumbling of the large engine intensifying as it moved the vehicle faster toward its destination.

Nightwing also increased speed, the chopper turning sharply at his command, his blue eyes scanning the city around him. Joker goons were crawling all over the streets, the mass of them almost outnumbering the police that were headed directly for them. SWAT, he knew, had also been mobilized, each of the six units spreading around Gotham, giving need to the citizens before engaging the army of thugs.

The still scanning eyes searched outside the cockpit before a number of warning sensors started to beep, alerting him to a currently unseen threat. Quickly his eyes scanned the surrounding area, though he found nothing of alarm. Instead, he focused on the flashing on his console, confused at their reaction as fear bubbled inside his chest. Powerful shockwaves washed over the bird, the armored plates seeming to shutter at the apex of each impact. Growing more concerned, the young hero pulled at the cyclic, hoping to swing away from the area and gather a better understanding of his current situation.

A loud bang rattled around the inside of the cockpit, causing the pilot to shift uncomfortably. The ringing in his ears triggered an unwanted shiver that exploded across his shoulders, causing the normally composed Dick to curse.

"Goddamnit, what's happening?"

Suddenly a fist shattered the floor between his feet, causing the warning signals to seemingly beep louder and more erratic at the newfound intrusion. Dick cursed again as the hand slipped free before pulling at the fresh hole, tearing it wider with each tug. The helicopter began to rapidly lose altitude as the hole widened, Dick realizing important equipment of the chopper had been damaged in the assault. The eye of Bane's mask came into view, momentarily distracting the young man from ejecting from the free-falling chopper. With a quick snap of his thoughts, Dick slammed his fist into the eject button for the second time within hours, this time sending up a prayer that he would make it out of this alive.

* * *

For a long time, the only thing she could decipher was noise. Muffled noises penetrated the crippling fog she found her within, the random crashes and thundering waves echoing around the darkness of her mind, stimulating her once-deafened ears; it was almost unbearable. Her exhausted brain struggled with each sound, the synapses firing too hard and too fast to identify the sound. She had blacked out after a while.

Smell assaulted her as her brain roused a second time. Copper and dirt, burning debris, and a salt water aroma had pummeled her still disabled brain, the scent of it mixing dangerously in her mind. Her stomach wrenched at the onslaught of the sickening essence, her body pulsing with the unwavering urge to vomit. Her body shut down again, to protect her from the violent convulsing threatening to overtake her.

It was the third time she awoke from her numbing unconscious that her brain allowed her to remain conscious. For a time, she reveled in her semi-consciousness before tentatively exercising her comatose memories, trying desperately to remember what happened before the darkness took over. Fragmented images flashed across her mind's eye: the Wayne letters atop the tower, Bane, and Harley Quinn disappearing over the edge. The pain of the gunshots jolted her awake, a gasping breath escaping damaged lungs that burned with the smoke and cold, her body twitching roughly against the motion.

She gulped in air, her body shivering in the freezing rain. Each wound on her body ached, the overwhelming pain threatening to plunge her into the darkness once again. Fighting the almost victorious urge, she groaned at the agony assailing her tired flesh. Hazy sapphire eyes opened finally, looking up instinctively at the numbness in her arms and hands. Taking a moment to focus on the outside world, her orbs registered the dark chains wrapped around her wrists and arms, extending downward to loop around her shoulders before snaking upward to hug the pole she found herself dangling. Her eyes fell closed, her mouth forming an ironic grin, the situation chilling her very core more than she cared to admit.

The cat burglar paused a moment before forcing her head to swing downward, her skin feeling as though it could slide free of her skull at any moment. Head heavy, the sapphire eyes opened once more, staring at the large bullet hole in her stomach, the wound dirty but finally clotted. The memory of the bullet going through the leg she dared not look to skittered across her eyes, causing the almost forgotten injury to pulse in response. She let out a breath, her brain still teetering between conscious and sleep.

"Selina."

* * *

Harley heard the guns being loaded before she managed to turn around, a large, frightening smile plastered on her dark lips. Her fiery eyes landed on the leader of the group, the dirty green band on his arm signifying he was also an important member in the Joker's gang. The harlequin blinked seductively, pushing herself up from the Brownstone to slowly swagger a few steps before stopping before them.

"Oh, what's the matter, girls? Is one half beaten woman too goddamn much for you that you need to use your big boy toys?"

The men looked at each other, an amused chuckle filtering through the group. Some of the men casually unloaded their guns, slinging them across their backs before standing tall against the haggard rogue. The rest of the men placed their guns on the ground, lecherous smiles rippling through the small crowd as their thoughts strayed to less than noble intentions. Harley's stomach clenched at the realization, though her face remained impassive. One of the thugs spit toward her, the other men laughing at the look of disgust that briefly held the blonde's countenance.

A stocky thug stepped up to her, hands spread, his dark eyes sinfully taking in every inch of exposed flesh, a thick tongue running languidly across cracked white lips.

"You wanna dance the old fashioned way, sweetheart? You got it. I'm going to enjoy _tearing you apart_."

The blonde snarled before reacting, her left hand moving like a blur toward the large body. The small knife she had concealed slashed across his exposed throat, an arch of crimson blood spewing across her front as a feral scream erupted from deep within her. The hood grabbed at his newly torn throat, his large, glassy orbs fluttering as he slowly crashed to his knees. Harley took advantage of the momentary distraction, her body springing toward the costumed posse, her face set in a hideous mask of rage.

In a controlled burst, the harlequin's left arm shot out, the tightly coiled hand sinking the small blade in the throat of another goon. As her foot connected with the slick roadway, she pivoted, bringing her right hand up to grasp the bat still hanging from her back. Spinning on the ball of her foot, she swung the weapon, the momentum of her turn causing the barrel of the object to connect with the crown of another man, knocking him instantly to the ground. Using the same forward motion, Harley bent at the knees, gathering energy before springing upward, gathering the bat in both hands before arching downward, the end crumpling a third man's skull.

The men finally attempted to respond, each of them moving to lash out at the harlequin amidst them. A flurry of hands grabbed and punched at the blonde, the group of men moving in tight around the recklessly fighting harlequin. One of them struck out with the butt of a pistol, knocking the woman off balance and into the waiting arms of another goon.

Harley lashed out, her voice a strained growl of intensity. She struggled against the arms that held her tight, her mind flashing back to the moment before the Joker and his company had violently assaulted her. Squeezing closed her burning sapphire eyes, Harley rolled her body as tight as she could muster against the myriad of hands that slashed and groped at her, an internal struggle weighing heavily in her chest. With a burst of unknown strength, Harley lashed out, a vicious roar spewing forth from her torn mouth, her teeth gnashing dangerously as she drew the men forward. With all her might, the blonde struck out with fists and feet, attacking the crooks with hapless abandon.

Finally managing to break free, Harley tucked and rolled free of the smaller group. Once steady, she snatched up a forgotten weapon and turned, opening fire.

* * *

The raven-haired woman's blood instantly ran cold upon hearing her named whispered in the damp atmosphere. Icy rain still pummeled Gotham, the icy drops of water cutting at her exposed flesh as if they were tiny shards of glass. Gulping, she gathered what strength she could to turn her head toward the source of the voice. Slowly, blue eyes met demonic green, the woman's face further draining of any color.

The Joker lay along the edge of the roof, his insane eyes bearing down on the horribly mangled Cat. A toothy grin stretched across his white face, his yellow teeth clashing grossly with the stark white.

"I have a job for you, Kitty."

Selina simply stared at him, an almost unbridled fear building in her chest. Her throat was unbearably dry, her voice absent from her presence. She simply stared at him, aghast.

The Joker, noticing the blatant fear staring back at him, sat up, an evil cackle flowing from his mouth like molten honey, the sound coating the atmosphere around them. Formerly polished black wingtips swung carelessly in the air, the suit-clad rogue soaking up the fun of sitting in the notorious Gotham rain. For a quiet moment, the Joker smiled, his eyes and face turned up toward the sky, the droplets caressing his frightful visage with the utmost tenderness. His eyes turned back to her.

"Since you still insist on living, you'll be the perfect bait to bring Batman to this very spot, where I can finally get rid of his _pathetic _existence."

Selina's eyes conveyed her defiance, earning a sneer from the Clown Prince.

"I know you don't believe in me, love."

A gloved hand reached down to caress her battered face.

"You're really very beautiful, Puss, it's a shame you have to die. You would have on that rooftop, but you just are too damn stubborn for you own good. No matter, I suppose that works to my advantage."

He stood, his eyes scanning the skyline before them. He turned, his eyes focusing once more on the cat burglar.

"Poison Ivy did me a favor when she saved you. You know, I can't wait to see Harley's face when she finds her lover. She'll just _die_."

Cat's blue eyes sharply rose to where he once stood, but no longer saw him on the ledge. The echo of his fading laugh wrapped around her, choking any sense of victory she had within her heart. Her tears mingled with the raindrops on her face, ignored.

* * *

Bane pulled his arm free and climbed atop the falling bird before jumping free, forcing the bird downward toward the street before it landed, the blades slicing deep cuts in the asphalt. Nightwing, after ejecting, had slid atop a taller building, shaken up but conscious. Scrambling to his feet, he approached the edge, his soaked bangs whipping back and forth in the strong winds. Peering over, his azure eyes locked on Bane, who stood on a building across the way, motionless. Nightwing offered a smirk before both his clubs slid easily into his palms, bringing one up to salute Bane before both launched toward one another.

* * *

Batman sat behind the wheel of the growling Mobile, his face holding a stern expression. The rain had turned icy in the last half-hour, freezing the roadway with patches of black ice. The Police Force had finally been freed, each of the officers given the antidote to help those still affected in the areas they had been assigned. From the radio, Batman could discern that the Police had made small amounts of progress against the massive army that lurked the streets of Gotham.

Unperturbed, Batman turned back on the main boulevard, City Hall just blocks away. A chirping alarm on the dash averted his attention, the small screen on the console showing Croc rapidly descending upon his car. Jamming the brakes, only the Mobile's tires stopped, the car garnering no traction, the massive machine slipping on the icy streets. Grunting, Bruce adjusted for the spin control, checking his rearview as Croc landed heavily on the roadway and powered toward the sliding Mobile. Quickly, the Dark Knight unbuckled and opened the lid, slipping free as Croc barreled down upon the car, claws forward.

Batman gently landed and quickly dodged as his car was thrown toward him. Croc stood in the center of the street, a fanged smirk permanently in place on his scaled face. The brute's tongue snaked out, languidly licking his fangs before speaking.

"You know, rat, I'll enjoy ripping you limb from limb."

Irritated, Batman stood still, his eyes staring through the reptilian menace.

At this, Croc scowled. The large beast took two steps forward before suddenly jumping toward the Caper Crusader, hands poised to strike. Bruce easily dodged, pulling free three freeze bombs and launching them at the rogue's back. Upon impact, the ice bombs covered the monstrous villain, stunning him for a moment. Batman landed soundly in the background, anticipating the reptile's escape. A loud crack echoed down from above, the sound bouncing around the icy rain that surrounded the city block.

With eyes still trained on the villain, Bruce jumped back at the explosion of blood that burst forth from Croc's still exposed back, the snow from the hardened ice disintegrating in the pounding sleet. Croc wavered before slumping awkwardly forward, a large escape of air shooting across the puddle beside his downed, icy form. Batman turned quickly, his cowl hoping to pick up any sort of heat signature or path of the bullet that downed the sizeable beast. Seeing none, he turned his attention back to the rogue, torn.

The Dark Knight slowly approached the creature, wary of a falsehood presented by the situation. Scanning with his cowl, the Caped Crusader deemed the rogue still alive, though barely. He straightened, his right hand moving to his cowl, his two fingers pressing the Comm link.

"Barbara, can you put a call in to Arkham? Croc is down and badly injured. He's been shot."

A moment of silence before the familiar voice filled the stillness.

"Done. Who shot him, do you know?"

"No. But I've marked the location internally, I'll check in out when I have more time."

He cut the Comm link and approached the crippled, upside Batmobile. Pressing an area on his belt, his azure eyes watched as the armor shifted, moving together and shielding the Batmobile from prying eyes, allowing the car to remain safe for the time being. His thumb pressed another button on his belt, his ears picking up the familiar sound of the Batcycle as it closed in on his current location. After a few long minutes, the auto-piloted machine sped around the corner, heading for the Bat before stopping, the powerful engine vibrating the street beneath it.

The Dark Knight mounted the cycle and steadied himself, adjusting different things on the machine's dash. With a final look toward the downed Croc, he revved the engine, the familiar sound of Asylum sirens echoing loudly in the far distance. With resolve strengthening, Batman urged the bike forward and tucked downward, the icy rain sliding off his cape as it whipped in the air behind him.

Finally, the object of his ire finally crested: City Hall was dead ahead.

* * *

Harley stood shaking, the gun clenched tightly in her hands finally out of bullets. Most of the men lay dead in the street, their blood mixing into a dirty river that oozed slowly across the broken asphalt. The icy rain burned her many wounds, the otherwise scorching pain momentarily forgotten. Movement to her left caught her attention, her blue eyes focusing in on the stumbling thug attempting to run down the street. The familiar green arm band caught the light of a street light, the band's significance settling over Harley like a burning reminder.

Her face set, she started after the man, her left hand moving toward her forgotten hip holster, the familiar metal tickling her fingertips, thankful it was as she left it. The man turned back and shrieked, urging his hurting body to escape from the harlequin. Numb to the feeling, Harley scooped up her bat as she trekked forward, spinning it twice in her hands before hefting it over her shoulder. The fury she had felt earlier returned as she started to jog after the man.

As she got closer, the anger burned stronger, urging her body into a run, the pain in her legs from the accident bolting up her nerves, attempting to alert her brain to the stress she was causing. Ignoring her better instincts, she hefted the bat and gritted her teeth before launching it at the man. A metallic ping, coupled with the man's scream, put a new spin on her anger as she fully tackled the stumbling man to the street. She rolled him over and sat on his chest, her arm pulling backwards before slamming into his face, his skull bouncing off the asphalt at the brutal hit. She grabbed at his open coat and hefted him forward to face her, those sapphire eyes burning a hole right through him. She gritted her teeth, a hiss escaping her.

"Tell me what he's doing with Ivy and you might fucking see tomorrow."

Her voice was low, controlled.

The man shook his head violently, his eyes conveying his desperation.

"I don't know anything about Ivy!"

Irritated, she slammed his body back down, his head bouncing off the roadway. She hefted him back up by his collar, her eyes growing wilder with each passing second. Through gritted teeth, she spoke once more.

"I will not fucking ask you again."

He gulped and held up his hands.

"Honest!"

With a growl she slammed him back down, her hand moving to grab at the gun at her hip. In one quick movement, she had pulled it free and cocked it, pressing the barrel to the center of his forehead. Those same eyes burned with a heat unmatched by any he had ever experienced.

"Last. Fucking. Chance."

He screamed, his body shaking violently.

"I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"

"You're lying!"

She pressed the gun harder to his forehead, patience rapidly dwindling.

"I have no fucking idea, SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD."

The blonde grasped at his collar once more, pulling him up nose to nose with her. For a moment, his eyes bore deep into hers, the man finally seeing the hatred burning in the sapphire orbs.

"I DON'T KNOW!"

A new surge of fury bubbled free as she put a hand on his face, slamming his head hard against the asphalt. She stood over him, gun drawn, her eyes void of all emotion, her face a porcelain mask.

"You all _deserved_ to die tonight."

She pulled the trigger, blowing a bullet right between his eyes. After a moment of standing over him, Harley moved her body, her legs forcing her in a dead run toward the rig. She scooped up guns as she went, stopping only to pick up the small knife and tuck it back into its hiding place. With a mighty leap, she slid into the driver's seat, turning the abandoned key, hearing the large engine roll over. Shifting into reverse, she backed up the rig, revealing the badly crumpled hammer truck.

Taking a moment to whisper her goodbye, Harley straightened out, slamming her foot into the pedal, lurching the behemoth toward City Hall.

* * *

I'm on the fence about this chapter, but I just love Harley Quinn so much, and feel as though making her a badass is detrimental to my story line. Now, for some constructive author's notes:

Since this has been brought to my attention _so_ many times, I've decided to respond fully to this: my portrayal of the hyenas Bud and Lou (and my third addition, Al). They keep saying they're actually like cats in nature. But, in Batman: The Animated Series, where Harley originated, the hyenas have been portrayed as dog-like, almost _wolf _-like. A prime example of this behavior is in the episode 'Harlequinade,' where Bud and Lou react with barks, happy panting, and wagging, drooling tongues for their mistress' return. And the small, teeny, _tiny_ fact that they **maul** Batman after growling like junkyard dogs. There's no playful batting at Batman, but full on 'Imma crawl all over you and attempt to rip yo' face off' mauling. I have three cats, the worst they have done has been a stink eye from across the room. So yes, while true to life hyenas may act very kitty-like, the hyenas as portrayed in the Batman universe (and even on Krypto: The Wonder Dog) are like dogs. And they're adorable.


	14. Chapter 14

Hazy emerald eyes opened, lifting to peer out the large windows on either side of the massive room. Flames licked at the window farthest from her, the heat of the upper level's fire comforting her frazzled nerves. Ivy attempted to sit forward, but felt resistance. Her eyes followed the chains that still bound her, the new anchor being the Witness Stand in the court room. Smoke was filtering in from a small, burning hole in the ceiling, choking the lungs of the Plant Queen.

Her mind flashed back to the Joker, her memory recalling the terror she felt when he pulled free the Uzi from inside his jacket and aimed upwards, shooting through the chains that suspended her high above the steps. The fall had been terrifying in itself, and she felt the sheer pain echo up from her busted leg. Tears stung at her eyes, though she refused to give in.

She faintly made out the Joker's muffled voice, sure he was talking to himself. The fiery redhead attempted to ignore the chilling voice, though the fog in her mind greatly inhibited her ability to think clearly. The creak of a door nearby caught her broken attention, her glassy emerald eyes shifting towards her right. The large door leading to the back chambers of the court opened slowly before the Joker snaked his way into the room. With a feral smile, he locked on his favorite target, his insane orbs pulsing in the dim light of the Court. With a short chortle, he started toward her.

Ivy attempted a weak snarl, her spirit refusing to quit but her body was too exhausted from all she had been through. Still, as the Joker placed both hands on either side of the Witness stand, Ivy managed to growl in his direction.

"Fuck off."

The Joker's yellow smile turned her stomach, though she refused to humor him with a grimace. He lifted a damp, gloved hand to gently stroke her face before leaning back, his thumbs moving to hook the inside of his flap pockets, a strange smile etched across his countenance. For a moment he stood perfectly still, his glowing eyes never wavering from her bruised face.

With hooded eyes, he leaned forward.

"Ivy, my dear, you have caused me quite a few problems recently."

She spit in his direction, no longer perturbed by his presence. He chuckled.

"Harley used to be my faithful companion until you came along and whispered sweet falsehoods into her ear. It's a shame the bitch had to return to good intentions. She _had_ to be taught a lesson."

Ivy snarled at him, her voice coming out in a raspy whisper.

"She deserved nothing! You abused her, manipulated her, _shamed_ her. She was smart when she decided going back to you was a fucking _mistake_."

In a flash his hands were back on the banisters, his sneering face a breadth of a width away.

"Harley was most important in my plans."

"That's a _lie_."

The Joker stood back up, an ironic laugh escaping him. He nodded at the Plant Queen.

"Oh, Ivy, you're so _smart_. I never gave a rat's ass about the girl, I won't ever claim otherwise. But she was _mine_."

Ivy barked out a laugh, her eyes staring daggers at the Clown Prince.

"Harley Quinn was never truly yours. She was just under whatever spell you cast over her with your inane ramblings and broken promises."

The Joker pursed his lips before bringing a gloved hand up to his face, his eyes lazily tracing its pattern before turning back toward the Vixen of the Vines.

"Tell me, Dr. Isley, if she were never mine, how could she have ditched her degree and cushy job at the Asylum to be my _Queen_?"

Ivy sat back, her face a stony mask. The Joker released an insane laugh as he tilted forward, placing his hand on the Bench for stability. After a moment, he ceased, straightening once again before putting his hand in his coat. Ivy's eyes watched the fishing hand, suddenly nervous at what else could be hidden within the pinstripe prison.

After a moment, the Joker's fingertips brushed the object of his focus, a wicked smile spreading cracked, red lips, those insane eyes focusing harshly on Ivy. The redhead shifted against her will, an uneasy feeling settle behind her ribcage, a red-hot worry pushing its way upwards from the pit of her stomach. Agonizing seconds ticked by before the Joker's hand reemerged, a large syringe grasped in his fingers. Ivy hissed, unsure.

"Would you like to know what I have here, Pamela?"

Her lip curled, the rogue tilting her head in irritation at the question. Her eyes followed his movements as he slid forward, his gloved thumb moving to slide beneath the plunger. Ivy felt her body tense as he stopped at the banister, casually leaning over her.

"Do you know what's in this needle, Pammy?"

"Your sick mixture."

It was more a statement than a question. The Joker laughed.

"Wrong. So very _wrong_ you are."

In a quick jerk, the Joker had stabbed the needle into the Plant Queen's exposed thigh, her bound hands preventing her from avoided the attack. The Joker had emptied the entire vile inside her in a mere half second before pulling it free and tossing it casually behind him. A demonic smile split his face before he broke out into another insane bout of laughter. Ivy, heart pounding, shook her chains violently, the unknown substance worrying her past composure.

"What the fuck was it, you bastard?!"

After a few more moments of laughter, the Joker stood straight once more, his molten emerald eyes zeroing in on her desperate stare. He again leaned over the bar, his nose practically touching hers.

"Plant Killer."

The Plant Queen blanched as she stared at him, her green eyes a hollow, haunted stare. A falling piece of smoldering ceiling made her jump, though her eyes never left his violently sadistic smile. He took a few steps back, a deep chuckle echoing from his throat.

"Regardless of what happens today, Ivy. I've won. Because by the time Harley gets here, you'll already be dead."

A motorcycle engine in the distance pulled at his attention, his smile growing larger in the small space.

"Let the game begin."

* * *

Nightwing evaded the lamppost that was hefted in his direction, thankful for his athleticism. Bane had been on a bender their entire fight, the loss of his Venom playing tricks on his mind. Nightwing loaded a stun bomb into his fist before dodging another projectile, this time cursing under his breath at the close call. Seeing an opening, he jumped upward, throwing the bomb at the brutish man. Bane swatted the bomb away, though the contact triggered the jolt of electricity. With a gurgled grunt, Bane dropped to one knee, the shock momentarily grounding him. Nightwing lunged forward, swinging one of his clubs at the man, hoping the force of his tackle would off-balance the distracted rogue.

Bane, however, countered, catching the acrobat in midair and hurled him over his shoulder. The former Robin slammed off the hood of a nearby car, unable to compensate for the sudden shift in momentum. Bane shook off the shock and stood, turning slightly toward the area he had tossed the smaller man. His eyes narrowed behind his mask, unsure of how to proceed. Nightwing, having shifted to another car behind the tall figure, paused a moment to collect himself, attempting to control his rasping breath. The car hood had definitely knocked the wind out of him and may have even cracked a rib at the contact, but he refused to acknowledge the agony.

After a moment, Nightwing leapt from his hiding place, the club in his hand set to stun, his target locked onto Bane's newly exposed back. As he lifted his club to strike, Bane struck his hand out, catching the surprised acrobat by the throat. Out of reflex, Dick dropped both his weapons and grasped tightly at the large hand that currently threatened his existence. With desperation, Nightwing frantically kicked at Bane's arm, determined to get free of his grasp. Bane, however, simply squeezed tighter, the glowing outline of his mask catching the faint light down the block. Nightwing focused on those eyes as his breath struggled to escape his burning lungs, the lack of proper oxygen beginning to take its toll on his body.

Dick's eyes felt heavy, his own body feeling as though it weighed thousands of pounds. The edges of his vision darkened horrifically, his view of the large man blurring. The fight in his legs gradually receded, leaving him dangling like a rag doll in the rogue's grasp. A strangled gasp escaped cracked lips, the strength in his grip on Bane's hand slipping slightly. With a last gasping breath, Dick tracked his eyes upwards, looking in wonder at the newly falling snow that swirled around them. The young vigilante's eyes fluttered before slipping closed, his body crumbling into darkness.

After a moment of still silence, Bane shifted the weight in his hand, before relaxing slightly. Curling his strength, Bane wound up before hurling the young hero's body through a nearby storefront, a gravely roar escaping his masked face. He stood in the street, amidst the falling snow, breathing heavy. He placed a hand on his forehead before turning to stalk further down the street. The large rogue bowed his head before turning his face to the sky.

"I am sorry, little bird."

* * *

The falling flakes clung to his leather as if it were velcro, though the icy coating went unnoticed by the Bat. As he neared City Hall, he piloted the bike to a side street and cut the engine before scaling the wall beside him. From across the way, he perched atop the Skyscraper, the view of his cowl looking over the offering dangling from the awning above the marble stairs. The sight of the once proud Cat cut at him like a razor, the sting of her wounds settling uneasily over him. He scanned the surrounding area, the heat sensors in his cowl picking up at least thirty men slowly entering in the vicinity. Quickly making up his mind, the Dark Knight grappled to his left, dropping into shadow on the adjacent rooftop.

Before his showdown with Joker, he had to remove Cat from the premises. As he shifted closer, he again checked the area, looking for any sign of a trap. The heat signature in the building was off, but he was sure that two of the bodies inside belonged to Ivy and the Joker. As he landed on the building neighboring City Hall, he could fully take in the damage done to the Cat Burglar. Jaw set, the Caped Crusader tossed twin batarangs, aimed to cut at the Cat's chains.

As the sharp-edged projectiles sliced the rusted chains, the Bat swung into action, catching the falling woman in one fell swoop before disappearing as quickly as he had come. Bouncing a few rooftops away, he slid the woman into his arms and quickly got to his knees, placing her gently on the rooftop. He knelt over her, his gloved fingers moving to check for a pulse.

A pair of smoky blue eyes opened at the gentle prodding. A small smile cracked the Cat's beaten face before being replaced with worry.

"You-you have to save Ivy, Bruce. She doesn't have much time."

His eyes took in her many wounds, his jaw working in time with his thoughts.

"I'll deal with Ivy and the Joker, Selina."

The Dark Knight pressed a finger to his cowl, impatiently waiting before quickly talking to Barbara. A moment passed before his eyes refocused on Selina. Without breaking contact, his left hand slipped behind his back before coming forth with a small pill.

"Open. Chew. Barbara is sending transportation for you."

The Cat did as instructed before lifting a weak hand to the intense man.

"Slow and steady, Bruce."

The dark-haired man squeezed her hand before standing and turning away from her, his icy blue eyes locked firmly on City Hall.

"I'll finish this here."

* * *

The badly crumpled rig stormed through the freshly laid snow, the large tires blowing the thick slush outwards. Harley was so close to her destination, she could practically feel Ivy's presence in her mind. Taking a hard left, Harley cut the wheel of the rig, spinning her dangerously around the corner and onto the main boulevard. The blonde could see the plumes of smoke on her horizon, and jammed the gas of the rig practically through the floor to quickly arrive at her destination.

A large object suddenly obscured her view, the unknown mass hurtling toward the cab of the truck. Muttering a curse, Harley quickly opened the door and bailed, balling her body tightly to protect against a new slew of injuries. The jagged post that had been hurled at the rig suddenly slammed into the windshield, the tiny glass particles exploding in the icy atmosphere around the blonde. The still moving rig was knocked into the series of buildings beside it before eventually stopping, the large truck's engine steaming in the chilly air. Blue eyes quickly glanced up, noticing a police cruiser being tossed in her direction. The harlequin was on her feet and heading quickly to cover, her mind reeling.

Turning the corner on her heel, the icy sidewalk tripped her up, sending her slamming painfully into the slick, unforgiving asphalt. The collision of the cruiser with the unforgiving roadway rattled the windowpanes of the building she currently crouched beside, the crunching of the metal painfully assaulting her ears. Pieces of the car ricocheted off the corner of the building Harley was ducked behind, the blonde cursing colorfully at the intensity; the car stopped at the top of the intersection, emergency lights spinning. Knowing that either Bane or Croc was in the area, Harley slid one of the Uzis she lifted to her hands, making sure the gun was loaded and ready.

After a few moments of stillness, Harley quietly got to her feet before leaning gently against the rough brick, straining to hear anything over the roaring wind swirling around her. Hearing a scrape against metal, she pushed up from the wall and turned, aiming and firing a few rounds at the roof. Bane quickly dodged and jumped from the roof, landing heavily in the roadway. Harley narrowed her eyes at the once-allied Bane.

"You're in the way. Move."

Bane chuckled at the blonde.

"I have orders to stop everyone. The bird was no problem for me, and neither will you cause me any grief."

Harley's eyes flicked to the right, her eyes focusing on the wafting steam of the exposed truck engine. She tipped her chin forward.

"You kill the bird?"

The large man took a step forward. "Yes."

Harley chuckled and quickly faded to the left before hopping backward, grabbing a drain pipe and hefting herself onto a nearby fire escape.

"I don't have time for this, pal. Ivy needs me."

The blonde quickly ascended the creaking steps, her heart pounding in her ears. Her eyes refocused on Bane as he was quickly climbing the building across the way, intent on stopping the blonde. However, what Bane had in brute strength, Harley more than made up for in speed and agility. Almost at the top, Harley hopped from the fire escape and released a few rounds toward Bane. One of the flying bullets embedded in the rogue's large hand, causing his grip to loosen on the duct he currently clung. Cursing, the man hefted his body up, hooking the ledge with his boot and curling his body upward.

Harley, quickly releasing her grapple, shifted through the atmosphere toward Bane's building. The blonde coiled her legs upwards, her feet touching the side of the building before vaulting her away, allowing her to let loose a few more rounds toward the masked villain. Using the distraction to her advantage, Harley quickly climbed the rest of the building and tossed her body up onto the edge and rolled to her feet. Bane was quickly upon the roof as well, his masked face an instant target as it breached the side.

Harley unleashed a slew of bullets at the rogue as his body was halfway on the roof; she fired until the bullets stopped coming. Her wide blue eyes focused on the unmoving, bloody mass of flesh as Bane grunted, shifting, body twitching. With a mighty growl, Harley was quickly on him, aiming a well-placed kick to his struggling form as she forced his grip free from the building. The snow and ice caused the strong fingers to lose traction, sending the agonized rogue over the side. Harley watched as the big man fell and slammed into the shorter building connected. The blonde rogue fished free a grenade and pulled the pin with her teeth, dropping the bomb over the side and hopping over the other side of the roof.

"You'll get up, I know, but maybe by then I'll have time to finish this."

With a last, fleeting thought, Harley slid down the exterior heating ducts, her feet splashing down into a puddle as the explosion above destroyed the windows of an adjacent building. She made a quick break for the rig, hoping the ignition would kick over after the second violent collision it had suffered. Picking her way through the debris field, Harley made a leap for the door's empty window frame, her fingers gripping tightly at the slippery surface.

The post Bane had speared through the windshield had gone clear through the rig, just the back end dangling comically from the large hole. Ignoring the object, Harley turned the key, the large engine sputtering before turning over again. A wicked grin covered black lips, the blue eyes narrowing.

"Let's go _play_."

* * *

Batman scanned the area around City Hall once more, counting in his head the number of bodies showing up on his scanners. Getting to the Joker would be a challenge at this point, a fact he was well aware of. Still, his eyes scanned the area, his mind quickly mapping out the easiest way around the men and finally into City Hall. Just as men dispersed across the slush-covered grass surrounding City Hall, Batman propelled to a better vantage point, his cowl vision set on the highest alert. Stopping at the edge of a gargoyle hanging below the roof of a close building, Bruce dug his heels in, preparing a gliding attack on the group of men closest to him.

The screaming of a diesel engine, however, caused him to waver, his eyes quickly cutting to the left. The badly crumpled truck emerged from behind a skyscraper, the rig barreling directly toward City Hall. The group of men that had been just below the perched hero quickly opened fire on the speeding wreck, their shouts alerting the other men in the area. Batman growled and shifted upward, his right hand grabbing at his grappling hook, his body gliding toward the left.

The excessive bullet storm had blown out the engine and large tires of the rig, but the high speed of the truck still caused it to slam into the side of the building, harshly splintering the wall, but not bursting through it. A well-armed thug approached the dark rig, his fellow thugs circling in around him. The goon focused his aim on the shattered window of the truck, allowing a few rounds to pound the metal, the sound echoing eerily in the close proximity. The goon stepped up on the truck's twisted fender and peered inside.

"The fucking thing's empty!"

The crack of a gun firing rang out around them, the goon still standing on the fender suddenly slumping and falling to the ground in a bloody heap. The men around him suddenly turned, their eyes scanning the area, unable to see where the shot had come from. A small silhouette suddenly appeared from the roof, most of the goons squinting at the small object to decipher what it was. Once it cleared the flood lights on the roof, the distinct shape of the grenade became instantly visible.

"FUCK, IT'S A GRENADE!"

The warning was delayed however, the small explosive detonating as it bounced off the roof of the stationary rig, sending a deadly shockwave through the small crowd. Men further back were thrown to their feet, the intense energy and heat from the explosion tossing them to their backs. The large group of men that had surrounded the rig was simply charred flesh. The fire from the explosion ignited the leaking fuel of the diesel tank that sat below the crumpled wreck. The remaining goons scrambled to their feet, trying desperately to escape the situation.

Batman, from his perch above, cursed before swooping downward, his aim directed at a window as he braced for the impact. With glass exploding around him, he tucked and rolled, springing instantly to his feet and headed toward the stairs.

Harley slid from her position on the roof, jumping onto the roof of the rig and then bouncing off, her feet taking her around toward the front of the building. The sound of chopper blades alerted her attention, the blonde stopping momentarily to look toward the source of the sound.

The Joker's white and purple chopper was suddenly hovering just above the roof, the shadow of the Joker falling in front of the lights on the roof. A new fury bubbled through her veins, the blonde's feet turning toward the still burning rig.

"JOKER!"

As the Clown Prince passed the light, his white face turned toward her, his gloved hand going up in a salute to the blonde woman. Harley took steps toward the truck before her senses kicked back in, her vision settling on the fiery rig. The war raged in her head, torn between getting at the Joker and getting inside. Her decision, however, was made the minute the colorless wingtips disappeared inside the aircraft, the helicopter instantly lifting and flying toward the skyline.

Furious at her own delay, Harley turned toward the side of the building, the worry for Ivy pushing up violently from her forgotten thoughts. The slushy ground gave her no traction, and she fumbled to get to the large doors. The large flames had spread to the building, the pressure in the gas tank mounting with each passing second.

Harley turned another corner, her eyes taking in the large front doors of City Hall. The sound of sirens suddenly filled the air, swirling seamlessly with the falling snow. Harley tripped a bit, her blood pumping violently in her ears as her eyes focused simply on the large wooden doors.

The fire around back had spread, the gas tank violently shaking, the pressure almost too much as the inferno raged.

Just as Harley's fingertips brushed the polished metal of the handle, she felt herself being pulled backward, her confused mind instantly trying to fight against the force pulling her and the tears threatening to spill.

"IVY!"

The gas tank exploded, the white hot light burning the darkened eyes of the Harlequin before simple darkness greeted her, the feel of the cold air brushing passed her at an alarming rate. The blonde attempted to focus her eyes, the unacknowledged tears blurring her vision. Suddenly she found herself on the snowy ground, the unknown darkness lifted from her sight. Confused, bloodshot eyes looked up at the opposing shadow of the Dark Knight, instantly realizing he had pulled her from the building before it exploded.

An overwhelming grief suddenly washed over her, the rogue's heart shattering to pieces as a hiccuping sob tore free from her battered lips. She curled her legs in front of her, wrapping her mangled arms tightly around them. Haggard, tearful blue eyes looked up at the emotionless Dark Knight.

"I-I couldn't s-save her. I worked so fucking HARD!"

She looked passed him, her eyes focusing on the raging fire a long way away, the loads of emergency crews circling the building, the water hoping to douse the flames. Her eyes shifted back to Batman as he knelt in front of her. Wordlessly he gestured to the side, her eyes slowly following his toward her right.

Her blurry vision focused quickly on the large ambulance, the blue eyes shifting quickly to the EMS team attempting to load Ivy onto a stretcher. Instantly on her feet, Harley closed the distance between them.

"IVY!"

She slid on her knees, coming to a stop right beside the wilting Vixen of the Vines, her blue eyes overcome by a new wave of tears. The EMTs backed up for a moment, but did not go far.

Harley grasped at the limp hand of her love.

"I-Ivy, can you hear me?"

Tired green eyes opened, instantly causing a flood of relief to course through the blonde. Ivy offered a small smile.

"I love you, Harley."

Sobs now racked the blonde's small frame, the harlequin unable to contain them. Her tearful eyes took in the browning skin on the red head's thigh, a searing pain tearing through Harley's chest at the sight.

"I-I l-love you, too. I'm s-so sorry."

Ivy waved her hand, her lacking strength glaringly obvious to the harlequin.

"Stay... safe, my love."

Ivy's eyes closed, her hand going slack in the blonde's hand. Instantly the EMS team gently pushed the other rogue away and finished loading the Plant Queen on the stretcher and into the ambulance. The sirens started as the ambulance began its quest toward the hospital.

Harley stood numb, her eyes focused on the receding ambulance. Batman stepped up behind her, pausing a moment.

"She was poisoned with 'Plant Killer.'"

He pulled the vile from a compartment on his belt, pausing to look at the greenish liquid inside.

"I can-"

"I will destroy him."

Bruce paused to look at her, noticing her rigid stance. She turned a bit, the shadows of the night obscuring most of her face.

"Make no mistake about that, Batman. This will end, and it will end with me."

She moved to step forward before pausing, again half turning toward the Dark Knight.

"Take care of Ivy for me while I do this. It will never end if the Joker isn't killed."

Batman moved to grasp at the blonde's upper arm.

"Leave him to me, Quinn. Ivy needs you at her side."

She slapped his arm away and turned to face him.

"Bane probably killed Bird Boy, somewhere near Jervis' tea shop. If he's alive, give him my regards."

With that, she bounced around the Dark Knight and started off in the direction of the Joker.

Bruce scowled and headed toward his own ride, thoughts of Nightwing swirling in his mind.

_I'm sorry, Dick._

* * *

In order for something to happen, this needed to be a longer chapter. But I realize it is not as long as 13. Anyway, sorry for taking so long again, I'm getting _slightly_ better at my frequency. As a side note, I do believe this story is almost at a close. Few more chapters to go! Boojangs out.


	15. Chapter 15

Harley turned around another corner, the snow-covered ice sheets blanketing the streets making travel almost impossible on foot. She had bounced a few blocks, already knowing where the chopper was headed. Still, she regretted her decision to blow the rig, cursing her moment of fury. Cresting a hill, the blonde's eyes focused on the carnage littering the block below, a shudder wickedly ripping through her abused form. Multiple Joker vehicles sat twisted and charred, their metallic bodies split open at painful angles, the metal smoldering in the wintry atmosphere. Pieces of the vehicles littered the entire block, each varied in their visibility. The large crater in the middle of the block was filled almost completely with the still hard-falling snow, masking its presence. Harley walked quietly through the carnage, her fury icing over in her chest. Her glacial blue eyes zeroed in on the large truck that had wrapped around a lamppost, her interest piqued.

Slowly, the blonde rogue approached the vehicle, her hand wrapped tightly around the butt of her revolver. She peered inside, instantly noticing the corpse behind the wheel. Her stomach turned before she reacted, pulling at the door handle and stepping backward. The harlequin tugged at the goon, loosening him from the wheel and pulling him outward. He slid outward, landing with a crunch on the snow cover. Harley peered further inside, noticing the large, blood-stained hole in the windshield. Her eyes followed it, noticing the passenger slumped awkwardly against the building to her side. Harley closed her eyes for a moment and breathed before exhaling and jumping into the vehicle, disallowing her jumbled brain the chance to stop her.

Harley focused on the dash, her sapphire eyes running along the broken panels. She fumbled with the keys, her numb fingers struggling to clamp tight enough to turn them in the ignition. Pausing for a moment to breathe, Harley turned the keys, hoping for a miracle. Silence. With a growl, she unchecked and checked the ignition again, pumping the gas violently, almost willing the badgered car to start. A reckless fury bubbled in her chest, the helplessness of the night making her shake the steering wheel in raw emotion.

After a moment, the harlequin stilled, tears spilling down her cheeks. With a deep snort, she slid from the driver seat and took off on foot again, her pounding feet sending painful shockwaves up her numbing legs. The blonde shook it off, a grim determination pumping her forward. Taking the corner in a balanced slide, the rogue's eyes took in an idling car, her outlook suddenly looking up. She stalked up the driver side and pulled her pistol, cocking it and gritting her teeth. The terrified driver, upon noticing the harlequin, froze.

Harley leaned into the cracked window, her breath fogging up the glass.

"If you give me your car right now, I won't kill you."

The terrified woman nodded, slowly opening the door and stepping out. Harley held the gun steady on her, the sapphire eyes of the blonde focusing on the bloodstains on the woman's coat; she gestured to them with the barrel.

"Whoever you lost, I'm sorry."

The woman's tears renewed as Harley slid behind the wheel of the sleek sedan. Before closing the door, her blue eyes again tracked to the woman.

"I promise not to destroy your car."

With that, the blonde slammed the door and shifted into gear, slamming down the pedal and roaring down the snowy road.

* * *

"Batman!"

The Dark Knight turned, his steely blue eyes locking on the approaching form of Commissioner Gordon. He nodded to him.

"Jim."

The Commissioner stopped before him, worry knitting his brow.

"What's the cause to this massive outbreak? How did we miss this forming!? I have more dead officers than prisoners at this point, Batman, what am I supposed to do? This damn snow has grounded all aerial assaults, the Air Force can't get here and the ground forces are getting held up in battlefields. I have regular citizens of Gotham both dead and fighting on these streets-"

Bruce held up a gloved hand. The stress building in his shoulders was growing bothersome.

"I know, Jim. I'm having it worked on right now. I'll be in the air soon."

Jim shook, whether from fear or cold, Bruce couldn't determine.

"Barbara is missing, I need to know that she's safe."

Batman nodded before turning.

"I know that she is, Jim."

The Dark Knight took out his grapple, hooking the roof of a building and disappeared into the shadowy skyline. The vigilante slid to a stop on the rooftop, his finger going up to press the cowl.

"Barbara-"

"Bruce, Alfred picked up Dick... I don't know if he'll make it."

The hero clenched his jaw, a jolt of pain shifting through his veins. After a few moments of silence, Barbara's voice cut through again.

"Tell me what you need, Bruce. We're not finished here."

"Send out both B2 and B3, I need them over the concentrated areas of combat: Park Row and the Amusement Mile. I'm heading toward the Steel Mill, I'll stop whatever is in my way."

"Bruce, be careful. Gotham still needs you."

"I know. Can you control both cycles?"

Barbara, from behind her massive console, smiled slightly.

"I think I can manage. Oracle out."

He cut the link and leapt from the building, fanning his cape and launching his grapple outward before slicing through the strengthening snowfall, his sights set on the large shadow on the horizon.

* * *

Harley coasted the sedan to a stop a few blocks from the old Mill, her resolve strengthening. Cutting the engine, Harley stepped out and melted in with the shadows. The blonde harlequin moved quietly, her ears straining to hear any sound in the still Industrial District. Using an emergency ladder on the side of a building, Harley scaled the structure, hoping the higher position would give her a better vantage point. Staying low, the blonde crept to the edge, her blue eyes scanning the grounds near a side entrance of the massive building. To her distinct pleasure, only two men stood guard: two of the Joker's personal unit.

Sliding quietly, the Harlequin hovered just above one of the wandering goons, her inverted body straining against the pain in her arms. As he moved into position, the blonde righted herself, falling soundlessly to her feet and springing at the man. In a smooth motion she had hopped upon him, covering his mouth and jerked his neck, instantly silencing the man. She slid down from his back, quietly placing his unconscious body on the snow. Turning, her glassy eyes focused on the other man, back firmly against the wall. The blonde scowled.

Harley again faded into the heavy shadows around the structure, her back pressing tightly to the cool wall. Her adrenaline rush from earlier had significantly dwindled, leaving the many wounds of the blonde open to the wrath of the elements. Pain radiated from every part of the rogue, the throbbing sensation jumbling her thoughts. Roughly, she shook her head, her will forcing her body to slide to the left. Silently the blonde crept upon the other guard, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek as the falling snow clung to her bare skin, chilling her to the core. Skillfully, the rogue slid up to the stoop, her body crouched, ready to spring into action. With a last huff, Harley grabbed at the rusted railing, her body hefting up and over, allowing the Harlequin to land a solid kick to the jaw of the other goon.

Using his dazed focus against him, Harley was upon him, slamming her knee into his temple. Instantly, he crumbled. The blonde fished free the semi-automatic from his slack grip and slung it around her body. She gripped at the door handle and pulled, opening the heavy metal door and slipped inside. Abysmal darkness instantly greeted her, the oppressive shadows pressing down harshly on her, causing a shudder to rack her broken body. Stifling another shiver, the blonde pushed onward as her blazing sapphires adjusted to the low light. Using her memory of the labyrinth building, Harley followed the most likely path toward the most likely place the Joker would be holed up.

* * *

Machines beeped erratically, the oppressive sound weighing heavily on the doctor. Her well-trained brain was running out of outlets, her steely nerves almost beginning to fray. The green-skinned villain had barely been in her custody for more than a half hour, but the little progress garnered made the time feel like an eternity. The genetic makeup of the Plant Queen confused her, rattled her, upset her to an agonizing extent. Refusing defeat, the doctor pressed on.

The smaller wounds of the rogue had been taken care of, her awkwardly busted leg had been set. The poison coursing through the redhead's veins was slowly destroying the very shell of her body. Martha cursed again, unable to find a suitable way to quell the destruction. A blood analysis had revealed complex plant killer, strong and potent. The normal procedure and medication had only destroyed the presence of the toxin, but did nothing to cease the wilting of Vixen of the Vines.

Releasing a breath, Martha turned her eyes to one of her nurses.

"Jane, can you please have someone get ahold of Doctor Libman? Maybe he can help us. For now..."

The doctor stepped backwards, motioning for the medical staff to step back from the redhead.

"For now, we'll just have to do everything we can to keep Ivy alive. Bring up incubators, or something. I can't give up on her just yet."

The surgeon exited the OR, instantly discarding her medical apron, hat and gloves. She scrubbed hard at her newly exposed hands, trying desperately to ignore the image of the dying Plant Queen that refused to leave her mind's eyes. The doctor passed from the room to another, grabbing at her lab coat and slid it on, reveling in the comfort of its weight. She pushed open the door with her foot, her hand slipping in her pocket to fetch her glasses. Following her automatic route, her brown eyes lifted to peer through another glass window at the second special needs case.

Moving to the right, the doctor turned the handle on the door and pushed, allowing her entry into the room. The occupant stirred slightly at the intrusion, but did not awaken, the effects of the anesthesia still dominating her senses. The good doctor stepped up the bed's railing, her stressed brown eyes drifting the length of the bed, a small feeling of victory pulsing upward. She had saved this one.

Groggy blue eyes opened, shifting slowly toward the doctor. Cracked lips opened, though no words escaped. Martha smiled down and squeezed the raven-haired woman's hand.

"You'll be all right, Miss Kyle."

A page overhead instantly gathered the doctor's attention.

"Doctor Miller to ER3, Doctor Miller."

Shifting, Martha squeezed the cat burglar again before making a quick retreat toward her destination, removing her coat as she continued. She hurried down the hall, almost to a sprint as she approached the area. She dressed for the worst, finally entering the room. A nurse approached her quickly, briefing her on the newest victim.

"Multiple lacerations, broken ribs, severe bruising, unresponsive pupils, shallow breathing, suggested cerebral hypoxia."

Martha took in the sight of the young man, his exposed chest littered with deep bruises and shards of jagged glass; his throat bared the sight of a large handprint. An oxygen mask lay over his face, the tank to the side, close but out of the way. Martha did a preliminary sweep, her lips twisting at her concentration. She checked she man's eyes, noticing they didn't respond at all to her gentle prodding. Cursing, she called to the medical team in her vicinity.

"Prepare the CT scan, I need to know what I'm working with here. Keep oxygen flowing as best as you can!"

A group swiftly came upon her, moving to attach the man to a ventilator and other machines before lifting the brakes and beginning his move. Martha looked around again, calling to another nurse.

"Please prep another OR, I need to get his wounds cleared up as soon as possible. Go, now."

Martha followed him as they rushed him toward the elevator, the blood pounding in her ears. She whispered a silent prayer, already preparing for the worst.

* * *

Ears straining, the blonde pushed forward, her buzzing senses on the highest alert. For long minutes, the blonde walked in the pitch black silence, her inner rage bubbling to a warm comfort in her gut. A noise alerted her suddenly, jerking the blonde to a stop. She strained to listen, her mind recognizing the voice of one of the Joker's very personal guards. A new wave of vehemence swept through the blonde like a firestorm, causing a deep growl to form in her stomach. She hurried toward the familiar voice, her head set in violence mode.

Fading to her right, the blonde hefted herself up the wall to the lip of a vent that lay open, a small burst of glee coursing through her. She slid her body through the small opening, her body immediately knowing which turns to take toward her desired location. Another familiar voice filtered through the various grated openings in the shafts, this voice in particular causing the blonde to falter. The tones cut through her like fire, her mind instantly flashing back to the Joker's attack and the graphic memories of the head henchman fucking her before her body mercifully shut down. The return of the violent memories shook the harlequin to the core, causing her fists to ball and tears to sting at her eyes. Pausing a moment, the blonde focused on replacing the feeling with the white-hot anger building quickly in her chest.

The heat of that anger flooded her every sense, causing her fingers to tingle in anticipation of the coming battle. The blonde renewed her crawling through the ducts with bubbling fervor. Taking another turn in the shaft, the blonde's eyes landed on the strips of light coming from the grate she sought. A smile crept across her face as she approached, her eyes looking downward into the large smelting room of the Steel mill. Below her was the man that previously occupied her thoughts. She snarled down at him, her mind racing, looking for the best course of action. The Joker's voice suddenly cut through the stillness around them.

"Un-fucking-believable!"

The goon below Harley's grate turned and walked out of her view.

"Sorry, boss."

Harley studied the grate intently, her patience rewarding her to the Joker as he strode along the floor, his anger evident in his white face.

"All of this planning, all of this preparation, all of this hiring of idiots to pull off the best and most robust of my plans, and for what!? The Bat to destroy my SWAT truck, for that GOD AWFUL Harley Quinn to turn all noble and destroy City Hall! I laid in wait for so long, so LONG for that damned Bat to fall right into my trap, and Harley had to come in and fuck everything up!"

His ferocious emerald eyes turned toward his main goon, a swirl of the Joker's gloved hands causing the man to flinch against his will.

"You! Why didn't you kill her when you had the chance? Would you rather try and get your dick wet again instead of killing that fucking wench?"

The man's face set in irritation, though he tried to hide it.

"Just following orders, sir."

The Joker, his composure slowly returning, stood tall.

"I suppose. Though I question my want to involve that red-haired cunt."

The Joker turned on a heel and approached a far off door.

"Keep an eye out for the Bat. I suppose I'll have to kill him here instead of in Court."

The door squeaked closed behind him. The henchman let out a groan, his hand moving to slide across his face. The second, and final goon, approached him.

"Sorry, man. Ya know Joker's fucking insane about that broad."

The henchman nodded, turning toward his second in command.

"I wish he woulda let me have more fun with that broad. Talk about tight, bro."

Both men laughed loudly at the comment.

Harley seethed above them, her fury bubbling over into uncontrollable territory. She slid backwards, turning toward the left and toward a dark area she could descend from the metal prison. Once above a shadowed corner of the room, Harley shifted the grate and slid out, landing quietly on a rusted piece of equipment. The blonde quickly shifted off and onto the ground floor, fading into the shadows, waiting for the men to separate.

After a few more moments of cheap laughs, the men broke apart, each falling into the routine of patrolling the room. The less important of the two goons slowly approached the woman's well cloaked position, completely unaware of her presence. As he shifted to open the door, Harley sprung at him, wrapping her arm around his mouth and slicing the blade of her knife across his jugular.

"Laugh at me again, fucker. I dare you."

She landed knee down on his back as his body crumpled, blood pooling around him swiftly. Harley turned, her molten eyes zeroing in on the large goon. Again she faded into the shadows, her body stealthily tracking him as he continued his well-relaxed walk around the compound.

Harley, well past her point of composure suddenly jumped from the shadows, her gun drawn. The man jumped at the surprise, fumbling with the gun in his hands. In his moment of ineptitude, Harley was upon him, landing a solid hit to the man's groin. He exhaled as the pain overtook him, his hands letting go of the gun he held. The man fell backwards with a thud, his lungs rasping at the pain settling across his synapses. His vision suddenly focused on the harlequin as she stood above him, an icy smile set upon her blackened lips.

"How the fucking tides have turned."

The goon blinked back the tears that had formed before the harlequin leveled a shot in his crotch, the blood and skin exploding outward. The henchman howled in pain, his body instantly curling around his destroyed manhood.

Harley moved to kneel before his eyes, her normally placid face a savage mask.

"I bet you regret what you did to me, huh, punk?"

The man nodded hard, his whimpers falling on deaf ears. The harlequin focused the newly-acquired semi-automatic at him and smiled coldly.

"I'll see you in Hell, motherfucker."

She pulled the trigger repetitively, pumping the man's body full of holes, the blood spray from the close proximity spraying the blonde's battered legs. After a moment, silence settled again, save for the harsh breathing echoing from the blonde as she stood over the man. The gun slid from her grasp, hitting the stone floor with a metallic ring. She looked down upon him for a moment before shaking her head, turning on her heel and starting toward the door the Joker had exited through.

"Come out and play, _puddin'_."

* * *

_Okay, now before you freak out about this barely being three thousand words, I can assure you it needed to be this short to make way for 16. I had to split them up, so think of this and the next chapter as 15A and 15B. And look at me, two updates in one month. I'm on a roll. Enjoy._


	16. Chapter 16

Batman swept downward, pulling up just enough to land a double-booted kick to a white-faced thug. This was the third group the Caped Crusader had stumbled upon whilst enroute to the Steel Mill. The Police and Military Forces had definitely capped the ever expanding army of thugs that had swarmed Gotham City this night, easing the pressure on the Dark Knight. Still, Batman felt a building dread bounce around his ribcage as his journey toward Harley and the Joker took yet another detour. Easily enough, Batman had disbanded the small group, the ice-logged Dark Knight immobilizing the thugs for easier collection in the future.

A siren closing in alerted him as he faded away, moving upwards to watch a Police Car and two officers pile out, moving toward the dazed group of thugs. With orders being shouted, one of the men called into his radio, requesting a transportation vehicle to their location. Satisfied, Bruce continued his journey toward the Mill, the heavy-falling snow clinging to him as he moved above the city. Sirens stirred, ignored.

* * *

Harley crept silently forward, heart pounding in her ears. Faintly, she could hear the Joker ramble on to himself, though she was unsure of the correct direction the noise was emanating from. Swallowing the unease she felt building, she slid toward the closest door and slipped inside the room.

Allowing her eyes to adjust, she focused on all the plans and schematics that littered the walls, desks, and floors of the room. The sound of the Joker's voice grew as she slipped closer. Coming around to a window, she blonde peered out, focusing her eyes on the industrial light that illuminated the small room below the harlequin. A growl bubbled forward, her insistence only growing as she moved to the right toward another door.

Seeing no other way into the room, she slipped through quietly, the door hinge creaking slightly. Cursing, Harley slipped in and disappeared as quickly as she could. The Joker paused in his ramblings for a moment, his insane emerald eyes zeroing in on the door as it swung slightly ajar. A rigid smile passed across his lips, his hand moving reflexively to draw his favorite handgun from his inside pocket.

His eyes scanned the shadows around him, his smile only growing in mirth.

"Oh, Harley, come now. I know it's you. Who else could it be?"

The Harlequin had quickly made her way around the opposite side of the room, still staying well hidden in the heavy shadows. For a moment, she stood perfectly still, her vision taking in the form of the Joker as she silently watched him. A burning flame took root in her chest, the veins snaking through her body as adrenaline surged forward. Her teeth ground painfully together as her mind flashed visions of Poison Ivy across her psyche, the outrage building, shaking the blonde violently. Her body wound tighter and tighter, her grip on the butt of her gun almost painful as the blonde's rage hit its maximum capacity.

With a feral yell, Harley emerged from the shadows, gun drawn as she pulled the trigger on the Clown Prince.

* * *

Barbara sat behind her massive console, eyes darting quickly from screen to screen. The sound of footsteps on the metal stairs of the cave distracted her a moment, causing the redhead to break contact with the screen and focus on the man approaching. Alfred seemed to have aged years in the last few hours, worry lines marring his pale face. He sat at another console adjacent to Oracle's, his gloved hands gripping tightly to the controls.

"I-I had the ambulance called. I removed his mask and insignia, leaving his identity as that of Dick Grayson, in place of Nightwing."

Oracle moved toward the man, placing a hand on his shoulder, her green eyes filling with tears.

"Alfred, is it really that..."

He turned toward her, eyes bloodshot.

"I believe we were too late, Barbara."

* * *

The green-haired fiend turned suddenly at the noise and dodged, the bullet aimed to kill merely embedding itself in his shoulder. Releasing a hiss at the pain, the teetering Clown aimed and fired as well, the bullet from his long barrel skimming the blonde high, tearing across her cheek and clipping her ear. Releasing a scream of pain, Harley landed on the balls of her feet as she bounded upward, pivoting and releasing two more bullets.

One missed by a fraction, the other slicing through the fleshy stomach of the white-skinned lunatic. The Joker, with a wildly gleeful laugh erupting with blood from his lips, fired as well, one shot tearing through the exposed flesh of the harlequin's left arm. The second bullet, Harley managed to dodge, but the maneuver caused unwelcomed pressure on her already stressed legs, causing them to buckle beneath her.

Releasing a breathe, the blonde rolled backward and disappeared as more bullets were unleashed toward her position. The Joker smiled and paused.

"Come on, Harley. I can't have fun if I can't see you."

He reloaded and aimed at the heavy shadows where the blonde had disappeared. After waiting a moment, the Joker pocketed his Colt and pulled free the Uzi. He smiled as he approached where the blonde had scurried, his senses extended, ready to counter at any moment.

Harley popped out just to the left of her hiding spot, more bullets escaping the muzzle. One exploded through the Joker's knee, bringing him crashing down with a surprised gasp. Another penetrated his hand, bone fragments and tissue forcing outward as the Uzi fell soundlessly to the ground. Harley approached, gun drawn, as the Joker fumbled, pulling his Colt free and firing just as her own gun lifted, causing the blonde to dodge quickly. The bullet skimmed the back of her shoulder as she ducked, causing the rogue to curse and roll out of his sight.

The Joker forced himself in a half-sitting position, his mangled leg sprawled out before him, a puddle of blood quickly forming around the mutilated appendage. Using his left hand, he pulled himself along the floor, his eyes never leaving her position.

"Ya know something, Harley girl? You're a pain in the fucking ass."

Harley sat propped up against a piece of metal, her breath coming in ragged bursts. She focused on the wet sounds of the Joker as he dragged himself around, the sound turning her stomach. The blood from her cheek poured down her neck, soaking her already dampened costume, mixing with the sweat that clung heavily to her skin. She looked to peek out from behind the large structure, the sound of a gunshot greeting her as she shifted. Jerking backwards, the bullet just grazed the corner of the object. She cursed, exhaling a soft whine with her breathe.

"Come on, Harl. Get out here so I can fucking kill you already. I don't fucking have all day."

Using a long pipe as leverage, the Joker slid toward her position, his mangled hand hanging limply at his side. The blood from the wound in his stomach dripped down his purple clad legs as he forced on, though a smile never left his face. He stopped, ears listening.

Harley shuffled to a new position, wary of his approaching presence. She looked down at her shaking hands and the gun gripped tightly in them. She clicked open the cylinder, her eyes focusing intensely on the single bullet remaining. The blonde soundlessly closed the gun and screwed her eyes shut, willing her aim to be true. The sudden silence struck her instantly, causing her to turn and attempt to scramble away from the looming Joker. His finger jammed the trigger of the uzi, letting loose a slew of bullets toward the Harlequin.

Harley, after noticing him at the last second, managed to scramble away from most of the bullets before disappearing behind another metal plate. The munitions hammered away at the plate though, causing her to shift to a new position in hopes of waiting out the attack.

After the long bursts of bullets eventually stopped, Harley quelled her beating heart and turned, lunging at the Joker, knowing the Uzi was empty. The blonde, in her zealousness, had overlooked the original Colt that had wounded her. As she squeezed the trigger on her revolver, he too pulled the trigger. Harley planted a bullet low on his chest; the Joker landed one through the harlequin's shoulder, right above the collar bone.

The Joker's body violently bounced back at the shot, the gun falling from his grip as he slid down his makeshift cane to land awkwardly on the floor, his good hand clenching at his ribs. Harley landed heavily on her good arm, attempting to catch herself, to no avail. Harley, hand clenched tightly over the new hole in her body, forced her eyes up to focus on the bloodied Joker. A small voice echoed around her head, urging her forward to finish the job. She got to her knees, body hunched over, attempting to ignore the pain. Her eyes settled on the rogue's wide smile as his eyes took in her form. The blonde managed to get to her feet, her eyes glazing over. The Clown Prince smiled.

"My, my, Harleen. You're looking ravishing this evening."

Blood poured down his chin and mixed with the red of his lips, staining his already horrid teeth a darker shade. His smile widened as his hand clenched the long pipe, his spirit refusing defeat. He began the journey to his feet, blood pouring down his body as he shifted, bringing his mangled leg under him to better support the weight on the pipe.

"You know, Harley, you are my favorite accomplishment. No matter what I've done, Batman has always found a way to beat me. But not with you. I made you. You have been bad, and you will stay bad. And there isn't anything anyone can really do about it. Thank you, Harley. Thank you for being my greatest achievement."

Harley slowly looked up, her body shaking with her inner turmoil. The Joker simply stood, broken and bloody before her, that insane smile widening at the sight of her destroyed spirit. Harley put weight on her good hand, slowly uncurling her body.

"The main difference 'tween you and me, pal? I finish what I start."

The Joker laughed, more blood spraying from his lips as he cackled. His emerald eyes stared at the blonde, glee dancing in the orbs.

"You'd sure like to finish Ivy again, wouldn't you? Poor dear, you must be heartbroken!"

With a feral scream, Harley lunged forward, tackling the Joker to the ground, his off balanced frame sending them crashing harshly to the floor. She fumbled to get her good arm free, the Joker's remaining hand grabbing at her wounds, each one shooting white hot daggers through her. She wrestled with him, her free arm finally getting loose to land a solid punch to his bloodied face. The harlequin reached blindly for the small knife hidden in the folds of her destroyed harlequin suit, the desperation in her growing almost insurmountable.

The Joker, using his good hand, grabbed the edge of the pipe and swung upward, connecting with the blonde's shoulder. Hissing, the woman found her knife and pulled it forward, striking downward with speed. The Joker grabbed at her hand and smiled, his eyes focusing on her as he painfully twisted her wrist.

"C'mon, Harl, you can do better than that!"

He turned the blade more toward her as he lifted his good knee, pinning her back in one spot with his leg. Harley let out a strangled gasp at the pressure on her spine and refocused her strength on the knife blade. Fighting through the pain, Harley forced her damaged arm up, the pain in the torn muscle almost unbearable. She pressed all her weight down on him, her teeth gnashing harshly in the low light. The Joker's eyes lit up at the sight of her, his body rightfully overjoyed. His smiled widened even more.

"Go ahead, Harley. Kill me. No matter what, you're wasting your time here. Ivy's probably dead, and you didn't even get to say goodbye! Hahaha!"

The fury in her finally exploded as she ripped the knife free of his grasp and held it high above her head. An inhuman scream tore from her lips as she plunged downward, all of her hatred pouring trough her to the knife tip.

Batman, finally having reached their location, called out helplessly.

"Quinn, don't!"

The blonde continued to slam the blade downward, past the Joker's outstretched hand and sunk the blade in the Clown Prince's throat. A feral scream erupted from Harley as she continued to strike, the blade of the knife hacking away at the skin beneath her slicked fingers. Blood sprayed across the blonde as she continued her assault, her body reflexively landing strike after strike as bitter tears streamed down her face unnoticed, the knife tearing a gaping hole in the neck of the Clown Prince.

Suddenly she was pulled free and a black shadow fell across the Joker's corpse. Harley, shaking, looked up into the eyes of the Caped Crusader.

His face was unreadable, his eyes a steely gray. The blonde looked past him, settling on the sight of the Joker's broken vessel, leg twisted and destroyed, neck ripped out and bleeding freely; the crimson pool beneath the villain shimmered in the low light. She shuddered, her hands going slack as the knife tumbled to the floor. The blonde's body shook violently, the exhaustion of all her energy catching up to her. Batman placed his hands on her arms, gently shaking her.

"Quinn, it's over."

Approaching sirens suddenly echoed around the room, causing Harley to snap her head up. She backed away from Batman, her haunted eyes an icy blue. The dead eyes tracked to the Joker once more, before she turned and headed toward the door, her body staggering along.

The blonde blindly ran toward her original entrance, her mind void of all thought. She looked down at herself as she hobbled forward, her arm tightly clenching at the wound in her shoulder. The slamming of doors reverberated through the vast interior, causing the Harlequin to shuffle to the side, pressing her body against the wall. A small group of policemen hustled toward her, their voices painfully abusing her ear drums. Once they had cleared her area, Harley again moved forward, approaching the side exit once more. She hefted the door with her good hand and slid outside, the blizzard-like conditions instantly chilling her to the bone.

Harley urged her legs forward, toward the black sedan she hoped still waited for her.

* * *

Silence spread through the room, the consoles between them eerily quiet. Barbara froze, her hand hovering just above the man's shoulder.

"What-what are you saying?"

Alfred sighed, his balding head hanging low.

"What I mean to say is, there was hardly a sign of life in him when I arrived. I don't know what that means for him, but I have a deep pain in my chest at this, Barbara."

The redhead slid backwards, face pale. After a long moment of stillness, the redhead spun back around, her bloodshot eyes refocusing on the task at hand.

"Well, we... We just have to press onward. Dick would have wanted us to continue."

Nodding gently, Alfred also returned focus to the monitors, his eyes taking in the many sights from the cycle's on-board camera. Gripping tightly to the joystick, Alfred quelled the tears preparing to fall as he pressed a button, effectively taking out a thug in his way.

Quiet sobs suddenly reached his ears, though he refused a glance to the former hero, his own heart breaking in his chest as he focused even harder. A sudden grim reality settled over him: Bruce wasn't aware.

His resolve finally broke, tears streaming down his face as he continued his civic duty. Comm went untouched.

* * *

Batman stood motionless, his eyes focused entirely on the body of the Joker. The azure eyes tracked across the large hole in his throat, down to the bullet hole in his ribs, then his stomach, and finally back up. Finally moving, Bruce managed to grab a dirty tarp and throw it over the body. Bending at his knees, the Dark Knight slid his hands beneath the still warm body and traipsed toward the exit.

The intensity of the moment was not lost on him as he climbed the steps to the door, his booted foot hooking the door and swung it open, granting the Dark Knight access. He continued his walk toward the sound of the GCPD, face set in stone. Taking a final corner, Batman came to a stop in front of a hard pressing force. The group of men stopped, silent.

Commissioner Gordon pushed forward before freezing as well, his eyes trained on the blood dripping from the tarp-covered figure. His eyes followed the slow movement of the Caped Crusader as he bent forward, placing the body on the ground. Once the caped hero stood, he spoke.

"He's dead."

The Commissioner shook his head in disbelief.

"That... that's impossible."

Batman shook his head.

"Quinn killed him as I got here."

Gordon bent down and grasped the tarp, tugging at the corner and pulling downward, revealing the blood-stained smile and torn throat of the Clown Prince of Crime. Groans came from the men in the back, the sight almost too grizzly to bear. Jim hissed and shook his head before pulling the tarp back up roughly, the sight turning his stomach. He turned to address one of his men.

"Call for the Coroner. I want his body guarded, make _zero_ mistakes. Understand?"

One of the men nodded, moving to speak to the receiver pinned to his shoulder strap. Jim locked eyes with the Dark Knight.

"What the hell do we do now?"

* * *

Harley slid into her final turn, the force of the tires wildly blowing snow. Skidding to a stop, Harley tumbled from the car and hobbled around the hood, disappearing into nondescript darkness. The blonde fumbled through the defenses around their humble abode, eyesight blurring as she forced her body to continue moving. Finally reaching the glass door of Ivy's massive greenhouse, Harley jammed her shoulder into the frame, forcing the door open. The vibrant heat of the interior instantly warmed her as she collapsed against Ivy's workstation.

Fighting the unconsciousness threatening to overcome her, the harlequin pushed up and snagged the inside of a shelf hanging above the vast desk. Harley tugged at the object above her, the pain in her body causing a whimper to escape. After a tense moment, the tube she sought slid easily into her palm, the blonde moving to cradle the vial safely against her. Turning, Harley forced her body off the edge of the desk, moving her leg to step forward. The leg she placed outward suddenly buckled, sending the woman to the floor, her cheek pressed firmly against the smooth stone of the greenhouse floor. Harley's vision blurred dangerously around her hot tears, though she fought hard against it.

Her body almost refused to move, instead wanting to simply quit and remain in the floor's forgiving custody. As the blonde teetered on the edge of eternal darkness, a cold, wet nose shattered her focus. The white-collared hyena nuzzled the blonde's cheek, pushing forcefully against her, willing her to stand. Another hyena nudged his way beneath her good arm, curling his body underneath her and sniffed at the blood on her face, a worried noise emanating from within his chest. Harley managed a smile at the beast.

"Good... good baby."

The third let loose a snort before picking the vial from the blonde, clamping it gently in his jaws. Harley lifted her head, eyes locking on the black of her faithful companion. Her head moved to look at the others and at Bud, who was still attempting to lift her arm up to help her stand. Digging in deep, Harley managed to get to her knees before finally hefting to her feet, sweat and blood pouring down her face in the humid atmosphere. She patted both hyenas before scratching Lou behind his ears.

"Thanks, babies."

She stumbled toward the exit, all three clinging tightly to the blonde's legs. Opening the heavy glass door, Harley forced her way back into the snow, the blistering cold a drastic change from the greenhouse. Approaching the vehicle once more, she opened the passenger door, allowing all three to pile into the sedan. Once settled, Harley pulled herself along to the driver seat and slid behind the wheel.

For a moment, she was still, her breath coming in long, deep cycles, the tears refusing to quit. Sapphire eyes opened, focusing on the road as she turned the engine and cut the wheel, turning around in the street and headed toward the hospital.

* * *

Martha leaned heavily against the wall, a stress line etched deep in her forehead. The young man currently sat in ICU as well, his diagnosis horribly bleak. Pushing up from the wall, the young doctor approached the nurse's station on the floor, her elbows going up to lean on the counter.

"Make sure you keep me updated on these three. Selina should be stable enough to be moved shortly, the other two... I don't know."

A sudden ruckus gathered the doctor's attention, a loud crash coming from down the hall. A horribly mangled Harley Quinn and company suddenly turned the corner of the sterile, white-walled hallway, her dark and bloody appearance a drastic difference in the ultra-clean environment.

"Doc... Miller."

Martha ran to meet her as the blonde collapsed, a thick, glass tube clenched tightly in her hands. Martha knelt down beside her, calling behind her to the nurses.

"GET ME SOMEBODY!"

She turned her attention to Harley, the doctor noticing the many wounds etched on the blonde's body. Harley turned her face up to her, the tears streaking down her face mixing with the dried blood, causing the dirty drops to splash against the tiled floor. Shakily, the rogue offered the vial, her arm barely holding the strength to lift it. The hyenas circled her protectively, the animals sniffing and licking at the blonde in worry.

Martha clenched the vial in her hand and looked it over, confused.

"What's this-?"

"Ivy."

The blonde gasped the name, her vision once again darkening. Harley struggled to focus on the doctor as unconsciousness pulled at her deeply.

"P-please save her for...me."

A team of doctors and nurses suddenly swarmed the harlequin, many hands grabbing to lift her onto a stretcher. Martha stood, the vile clenched tightly in her balled fist.

"Doctor Libman, can you-"

He nodded before whisking the blonde down the hall.

Martha then focused on the three feral hyenas in front of her, worry instantly creasing her brow. Two of the three took small steps toward Harley's location, whimpers coming forth from the animals, ears flat. The third focused on the doctor, unmoving. Martha, to her credit, remained calm. Her eyes wandered over the three faces that now stared at her, her mind instantly registering an idea.

"You're good boys, right?"

They remained still, one's tale absently swishing. Martha nodded as she watched the three suddenly lay on the white tile floor, all of them curling up together near a bundle of chairs. Martha simply turned toward the nurses' station.

"Keep an eye on them, I have to take care of this. Call to have the spill cleaned."

Martha hurried down the hallway, the cylinder still clenched tightly in her fist. She nudged a door open and slid inside, her hands instantly moving to retrieve gloves. Taking a syringe, she pulled forth a small tube of the liquid before capping and adding it to the many IVs hanging around the badly decayed Plant Queen. Martha's brown eyes tracked the liquid as it disappeared under the skin of the rogue, a deep sigh escaping the doctor.

"I hope this works, Ivy."

* * *

Bruce stood on a roof above the Steel Mill, eyes taking in the sights of the dark ambulance as the Joker was loaded into it. Gaze steady, Batman pressed the Comm in his ear.

"What's the status, Barbara?"

After a moment, the shaky voice of his former partner filled his head.

"The Military are finishing up, all antidotes dispersed. Body retrieval will be beginning."

Nodding, Batman turned his back on the sight below, eyes blank.

"And Dick?"

A sniffle greeted him, his blood instantly running cold.

"It doesn't look-"

Bruce cut her link, bile tickling his throat. Staring in the direction of the hospital, his cape fell around him, partially protecting him from the falling snow. He bowed his head, heart heavy. Lifting his eyes, the Dark Knight slid from the ledge, memories flashing before his mind's eye.

_"We're _partners_, Bruce!"_

* * *

_My fiancee made a brilliant point to me this afternoon: You guys deserve to have this chapter now instead of in two weeks when I would have gotten around to editing it. My apologies for any bad grammar or silly spelling mistakes, I've literally read this particular chunk of words six or seven times in the past day and a half. I couldn't deal with another run through today. Questions, comments & concerns welcome- Boojangs out._


	17. Chapter 17

The heavy metal door opened with a subdued hiss, admitting the Caped Crusader to an inner area in Arkham. Uniformed personnel scurried from door to door, the influx of prisoners, new and old, forcing them to work double overtime. The Bat scanned the room before approaching Commissioner Gordon, who was busy dictating to a handful of officers. Sensing his approach, the gray-haired man turned to face the vigilante. From behind his glasses, Jim looked over the Bat, taking in the tense muscles and clenched jaw. The man sighed.

"Well, the last of the task forces are sweeping the City. Everything should be wrapped up within a few hours. Thank you for your help, Batman."

Nodding curtly, Bruce turned to look over the movement in the room, his brain racing with a multitude of jumbled thoughts.

"Did you have someone collect-"

"Yeah... Yeah, we uh. I had a crew pick him up. The doctors here tell me that there's no sign of life under the surface. Basil Karlo was marked DOA."

The Bat nodded before turning toward his old friend once more.

"Any word on Bane yet?"

The Commissioner shook his head.

"How's Croc?"

Jim removed his glasses before dragging a callused hand down his face, the motion smoothing the wrinkles only briefly before the stress set in again.

"Well, honestly? He might not make it either. Whoever shot him knew exactly what they were doing. The shell was... massive. Left a lot of much damage. The medical people did what they could for him. Now, only time will tell."

"I have the area marked, I'll go over it and see if I can get to the bottom of this."

The Caped Crusader turned to leave, intent on disappearing into the night to prowl for any stragglers.

"Wait, Batman."

The Crusader stopped, but did not turn around.

"Gotham doesn't blame you."

Bruce tossed a look over his shoulder, eyes smoldering.

"I'll be in touch."

* * *

Jarring herself into semi-consciousness, Harley looked around her as the emergency staff swarmed around the room. Mumbling, the blonde shifted, attempting to get off the gurney, her fuzzy mind reminding her of the dying Plant Queen. Tossing her head from side to side, Harley absently pulled at her IVs and oxygen mask, her body working to sit her up.

"I...Ivy."

A nurse noticed the fussing harlequin and approached, putting both hands on the woman to keep her down so as to put her under for surgery. The rogue, sensing the pressure, began to fight harder to escape.

"No... I-vy.. Please..."

The nurse nodded down at the blonde, flashing a quick smile before motioning to the others.

"Yeah, hun, she's fine."

The nurse called for the team to help subdue the increasingly frustrated rogue before things got out of hand. Still, Harley struggled.

"Nngh, no. Let me... let me up... I... need to see... her."

The blonde's body responded, her battered limbs thrashing wildly against the staff. Two men approached, attempting to pin the harlequin to the wheel-locked table as another prepared a syringe to knock her out. With blurred vision, Harley focused on the needle as it approached, the panic in her surging her body against the restraints.

"Please! I don't want to hurt anyone else!"

As the attendant approached, the blonde's foot struck out, knocking him off balance and into an instrument table. As the situation escalated, Dr. Libman forced into the room.

"What's going on in here!? Why isn't she in under yet!?"

The nurse that lay practically on top of the thrashing woman looked up at the doctor.

"I'm sorry, sir, she - guys, get the needle in her!- she woke up before we could get the-"

Harley coiled her body and forced all her weight upward, half-bucking the nurse off of her.

"Pleeease, I just want Ivy!"

From down the hall, the three hyenas, hearing their master's high-pitched struggle, sprung to their feet and headed toward the room. A nurse at the station cursed and grabbed at the phone, dialing for security before pressing for the intercom.

"DOCTOR MILLER TO TWO, DOC MILLER TO TWO."

Already sprinting down the hall, Martha burst through the double doors and headed directly around, trailing the hyenas by strides. Turning a corner in a fumbling slide, Martha approached the room, the commotion from within leaking out into the otherwise still hallway. The trio of beasts pawed at the door, strange sounds emitting from their throats as they struggled with the barrier. Ignoring the upset, Martha forced her shoulder into the door to slip inside, through the sterilization and into the OR.

Pushing aside Doctor Libman and another assistant, Martha grasped at the brunette nurse on top of Harley, tugging her up from pressing down on the woman. The three hyenas squeezed through the cracks in the doors and burst into the room, their growls scaring the standing nursing staff into the corner. Martha gripped at Harley, her eyes flashing forward to the hyenas currently threatening her staff before focusing on the blonde once more.

"Harley, CALM DOWN."

Harley, focusing her broken attention on the familiar voice, settled briefly, glassy blue eyes frantically searching for the doctor's face.

"D-Doc Miller?"

The nurse still over Harley sat back and straddled the blonde's hips, poised to strike, still unsure if the episode was over. Martha stooped over the blonde, attempting to reassure her. The hyenas, sensing a shift in their master, ceased their vocal frenzy but remained aggressive, keeping their eyes between the terrified staff and Harley. Martha eased up on the rogue before frowning deeply.

"Harley, what? What is it?"

The blonde's focus finally centered, her bloodshot orbs zeroing in on the surgeon.

"I just want... to see Ivy before I go under. Make sure she's... okay."

Martha sighed deeply and nodded. The brunette surgeon stood back, offering a hand to the nurse that still straddled the blonde as she helped her off the gurney. Both women undid the IVs that remained and helped the blonde to a sitting position. The young nurse left to fetch a wheelchair for the blonde as she sat up. The hospital robe she wore shifted, exposing her marred flesh and still present costume to the surgical team that remained in the corner under the hyenas' threat. Noticing for the first time, Harley slid to her feet, as Martha moved to stabilize her.

"Harley, you shouldn't be-"

Ignoring the doctor, Harley halfheartedly snapped her fingers, the low sound instantly catching the attention of the spotted creatures.

"Bad."

It was more a breathy gasp than a statement, but the three instantly reacted, slinking over to the rogue and sat down quietly. Threat neutralized, the remaining individuals relaxed, but remained in their places.

"Everything okay here, Doc?"

Martha turned toward the deep voice and offered a smile to the security guard.

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

Unconvinced, the man scanned the faces of the room before settling on the blank face of the harlequin and the three stern faces of the animals at her feet. He shifted backward from the door and nodded to the surgeon before backing up and disappearing. The nurse entered the room with the wheelchair a moment later, her face unsure. Harley looked her over before shaking her head gently. Shuffling painfully forward, she motioned for her babies to follow. Martha nodded to the nurse before starting forward. As Harley disappeared out the door, Martha turned to address her staff.

"I'm sorry about that, is anyone hurt?"

All heads shook, instantly making the surgeon feel better. Still, the situation needed to be addressed.

"If you could all please dress this room down and set up next door, I would greatly appreciate it. When we're finished tonight, you guys deserve a spa day. Thank you for your dedication. Now let's get back to it."

Martha shifted her attention to the wheelchair-toting nurse, a small smile on her lips.

"Liz, I'm going to need you to follow. Harley might walk there, but she won't walk back."

The nurse, face flushed, nodded and turned the chair toward the door.

* * *

Emotionally drained, Barbara sat back from the console. She had done everything she could for tonight, instead leaving the rest of the cleanup to the police and military forces. Alfred still sat in his chair, gloved hands clenched at the console, his face set in stone. An echoing ring suddenly filled the Batcave, alerting the two occupants to an incoming call. Barbara, eyes still focused on Alfred, pushed the call button and responded.

"Wayne Residence, who may I ask is calling?"

"Hello, this is Joy at Gotham General-"

"Is this about Richard Grayson?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"We'll be up at the hospital shortly."

Barbara cut the call, a sudden sadness cascading down her body. She wheeled up beside the man and grasped at his hand, squeezing it tightly.

"C'mon, Al. Let's go."

* * *

Harley staggered down the pristine hall, all her body's focus centered on getting to Ivy's room and seeing if her condition had changed. Martha was just behind her, walking quietly, silently. Harley stumbled a bit, Bud moving to support her as she knelt. Vision teetering between oblivion and unintelligible blurs, Harley trotted onward. Making a right at the nurses' station, Harley started breathing heavy, her body wanting desperately to quit and allow the people here to finally fix her. Still, she forced onward. Martha gently responded to the harlequin's hesitation, gently directing her toward the door to Ivy's room.

Harley propped herself against the door before twisting the handle, the lack of the support nearly causing the blonde rogue to tumble forward. Martha helped her settle before stepping backward and allowing the blonde a moment to herself.

Harley straightened up and gently closed the door, the sudden darkness forcing her strained eyes to adjust. A single bed met her gaze, a sterile curtain hanging alongside, partitioning off the other occupant from view. The dark figure in the bed stirred at the blonde's presence, a pair of intense sapphire blue eyes staring back at the blonde.

"Harley."

Tears stabbed at the backs of her eyes as Harley staggered forward, her fingers reaching blindly to grasp at the hand reaching for her. As their fingertips brushed and their hands clasped, Harley looked down at the cat burglar, a small smile growing on her battered face.

"Glad to see ya alive, Kitty."

Her voice was a harsh whisper in the still air. The raven-haired woman smirked up at the swaying blonde before tugging at the blonde's hand, her smile faltering for a moment.

"You can pull the curtain, Harl."

Blue eyes tracked up to the nondescript curtain, a certain unease settling in her stomach. Using the bed as a crutch, Harley stumbled around Selina, her good hand reaching up to the curtain. With a last moment of agony, Harley yanked at the curtain, instantly revealing the red-haired vixen.

Bathed in the bleary light from the wintery scene outside the window, Ivy lay in her hospital bed, a twisted, half-dead form of Mother Nature. Instantly tears sprung to the blonde's eyes as she closed the distance between her and the other bed, her blood-stained fingers reaching absently for the limp hand of her lady love.

"Oh, Ivy."

Knees finally buckling, Harley crashed to the floor, her eyes raking over the decayed form of Ivy in disbelief. Nuzzling Ivy's hand with her cheek, Harley whined, a cry hiccupping from deep within.

"How.. how could I have let this happen?"

Tears fell freely now, the hollow sobs shaking the blonde as she cried. A wet nose suddenly pulled at her attention, her face moving toward the three babies that followed her into the room. She turned, throwing her arms around one of them, his sound of upset echoing in the room. Bud and Al closed the circle around her, each of their noses moving to nuzzle their distraught master. Close footsteps gathered Harley's attention once more as she looked up at Martha.

"She's better than she was, Harley. Believe me. It's time to go now, let her rest."

Harley glanced back at the still Ivy before shaking her head. She pulled at her last reserves, forcefully pulling herself to her feet. Liz pushed the wheel chair toward the rogue, her eyes betraying her emotion at the scene. Harley, shaking violently, turned her sight line to Selina. The cat burglar herself had tears in her eyes, but she firmly held the gaze of the other rogue, an understanding surfacing between them.

"I'll watch over her for you, Harley. Promise."

Satisfied, Harley smiled before collapsing into the wheel chair. With a final breath, she glanced at her three babies and shook a limp hand in their direction.

"Stay. Pro-tect."

Instantly, two were lying on the floor beside the redhead's bed, facing the door. The third walked around Selina's bed and sat as well, eyes trained on the door. Harley, pleased with their obedience, finally slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Bruce touched down on the slushy rooftop, his boots spraying the heavy snow outward. His cowl scanned every area of the rooftop in search of clues, his mind focused solely on the task at hand. Casually, he looked over the edge at the still shielded Batmobile as it lay under a thin layer of snow. Shaking his head, he went back to investigating before a small noise from below stole his attention. Quickly descending, he slid down the fire escape and landed easily in the alley. A silhouetted figure approached him, hands spread in defense.

The man stepped into the halo of light ahead of the Caped Crusader, the shadows whisking away to reveal the face of Aaron Cash.

Bruce clenched his jaw and flexed his hands, disbelieving his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Batman. I had to."

* * *

Alfred coasted the car to a stop, put it in park, and cut the engine. In the rearview, he noticed Barbara, hands folded in her lap, an utterly defeated air about the former heroine. Clearing his throat, he opened the door and headed to the back. Unloading the wheelchair, he sidled up to her door and opened it, holding the chair as she slid easily into the comforting leather. Alfred opened the umbrella for her and held it above her as she spun toward the entrance doors to the hospital.

After a moment, both were heading toward the main information desk, shaking the snow off as they continued through the organized chaos of the waiting room. One of the nurses at the desk nodded toward them.

"Can I help you?"

Alfred cleared his throat before answering.

"Yes, we're here about Richard Grayson?"

The woman nodded, recognizing the name.

"Yes, Mister Grayson is on the second floor, in the ICU. His doctor is in surgery with another patient, but you're welcome to go upstairs and wait."

Alfred nodded, tipping his hat out of reflex.

"Thank you."

Both turned toward the elevators, silence hanging heavy between them. The elevator doors admitted them to the steely interior before sliding closed and taking them up a floor. Barbara's hands were wrapped firmly around the rims of her chair, an emotional battle waging painfully in her chest. The doors to the elevator opened, allowing the woman to quickly exit, the confined space suddenly making her dizzy. Alfred trekked toward the nurses' station on the floor, face grim.

"Pardon me, ladies."

A sweet-smiling nurse looked up at them.

"Yes, can we help you?"

Barbara responded, feeling the need to speak out loud.

"Yes, we're looking for Dick Grayson. A woman downstairs-"

"Are you his next of kin?"

Barbara hesitated for a moment, her mind stopping suddenly.

"Well, yes. Virtually."

The nurse frowned and opened her mouth to speak. Alfred held a gloved hand up, his nerves fraying under the emotional stress.

"Madame, if you please. His parents were killed a number of years ago, and he stayed with Master Wayne and myself. We are his only family."

The nurse smiled sadly and nodded.

"I'm sorry. I'll let one of you visit, but for only minutes. His condition is still critical."

Alfred nodded in appreciation before turning his sights on Barbara. A smile ghosted his lips as he gestured before turning down the hall toward the waiting room. The intellectual shuddered as the nurse led her toward Dick's room, an unshakable chill settling over her. To focus, the redhead looked up at the nurse.

"Please, what is his condition?"

The nurse hesitated before frowning.

"The doctor will be out to see you shortly, please just remain for a few moments."

Joy opened the door for the former hero before slipping away down the hall. Barbara hovered by the door before entering the room, leaving the door cracked behind her. Wheeling herself to his side, Barbara felt a deadly fear grip at her throat, a burning pain firing its way up from her gut. Emerald eyes swept over his tightly wrapped torso, bits and pieces of bruised skin visible from beneath gaps in the pristine bandages.

A snug bandage was wrapped around his pale throat, as well as small bandages over parts of his bruised face. An oxygen tube crossed over his cheek, disappearing in his nose. Dark circles were under his eyes, his pale face looking sunken and cold. Another chill caught the woman, causing her to shiver violently.

Her eyes stared hard at the monitors at his side, noticing his heart beating unusually slow. Feeling a distinct feeling of unease, Barbara moved to clasp the hero's hand. It was cool to the touch, the feeling of it cracking Barbara's composure as a strangled cry escaped her chest. Shakily, she bent down, brushing her lips across his knuckles before placing his hand back beside his resting body.

"I love you, Dick. Don't stop fighting."

She sniffled as she backed herself up, ultimately turning away after long moments of still silence. Gently closing the door behind her, Barbara steeled her resolve before moving down the hallway and toward the waiting room.

* * *

Batman's gaze never wavered from the man before him, his brain refusing acceptance.

"Cash, what-"

The man sighed heavily and leaned against the building, his large gun slung casually over his shoulder. He shook his head and looked back toward the spot he had taken down Croc.

"I thought... I thought I could handle it. But- That _beast_. He went after Melissa a while back, tried to... tried to kill my son. Because _I'm_ his father. It took a while. Practicing my shot, I mean. I can't do much with this... hand."

He chuckled mirthlessly, his brown eyes finally tracking to the Bat.

"My family wasn't safe. Croc can't be controlled forever. I-I did what I had to."

Bruce approached him and gripped tightly at his collared Arkham Security shirt.

"Aaron, shooting Killer Croc wasn't the answer to your problems."

He smiled at the Caped Crusader, a relief finally coming off his shoulders after so long. He lifted his good hand to Batman's wrist before squeezing it assuredly.

"It's okay, Bats. No regrets. I stayed around here because I figured you'd come back. I wanted to come clean to the only guy that gets it. I'll tell them at Arkham, I'm prepared to do my time."

Bruce shook his head in anger before letting the man go, the fabric slipping from his fingers as the other man's boots softly crunched on the snow in the alley. Bruce moved to step around the guard before stopping just beside him, their shoulders nearly touching. The vigilante inhaled deeply.

"I know you did what you thought was right. Croc is in critical, on lockdown, at Arkham. I'll give you tonight to be with your family."

Cash turned to him and nodded, smiling.

"Don't worry about me, I'll do what's right."

Bruce nodded before stalking down the alley, his secured Batmobile his new focus. As he approached the vehicle, he half turned as Aaron left the alley and deftly disappeared. A strange feeling came across him at the sight of the proud Senior Security Officer slinking off into the night. Setting the feeling aside, cerulean eyes once again focused on the damaged mobile.

Lifting a finger to touch a button on his belt, he watched as the protective covers slid away, revealing the inverted Batmobile. The plates shifted again before pumping downward in an attempt to flip the car back to its tires; after a few moments, the car flipped back over with a crunch, chips of glass from the broken passenger window dancing in the lights before disappearing in the snow. Bruce circled the car, surveying the damage. Approaching the driver's side, he opened the hatch, the normally smooth motion choppy and grating.

Bruce peered inside, noticing no real damage to the internal mechanics, before slipping himself behind the wheel. Pausing a moment to make sure nothing too important was broken, Bruce pressed the ignition button, thankful when the large engine sputtered to life. The dash lights suddenly flashed on, illuminating the Dark Knight in a soft, neon blue. Clicking the seat belt across his chest, he revved the pedal, noticing the sputter in the movement.

Stripped throttle.

He pumped the brakes before shifting, the sound of a deep clicking greeting him as the transmission finally turned over, allowing the vehicle to move forward. Immediately, the dark-haired man could feel the pull to the right as he went to compensate. Irritated, he pushed the pedal down and fought the machine before forcing it toward the Batcave and toward home.


	18. Chapter 18

Bruce led the mangled machine through the tunnel toward the Batcave, thankful to be out of the weather. The mostly crippled Mobile shuddered as it came to a stop on the raised platform, the engine finally cutting to plunge the car into darkness. Bruce sat back in his seat as the platform lowered, granting him access to the inner core of the Batcave. Pressing a button on the door panel, the lid opened with a grating screech, the sound echoing painfully in the vast room. Bruce jumped free of the cockpit before the lid attempted to close, another shattering squeal resonating from the machine.

The Dark Knight made a beeline for the many monitors still showing the scene across Gotham. Hard blue eyes skipped from image to image, his jaw growing more clenched with passing seconds. The battle was finally over, but Gotham would suffer greatly from the cost. Moving to his right, the Caped Crusader pressed a few keys on the panel, the screens shifting to live video feed outside City Hall.

The building was still aflame, as were any other buildings in his dark city. The carnage created in the few hours settled uneasily against the man, the feeling spreading wildly across his body like fiery tendrils. Bruce placed both his hands on the edge of the large console and bowed his head deeply, a lengthy sigh finally escaping after long moments. Fidgeting with the keys again, Bruce tapped a large orange button and waited.

A ringing suddenly filled the room, the soft reverberating noise soothing to his fraying nerves. After a moment, a familiar voice filled the atmosphere around him.

"Bruce, is everything okay?"

He straightened as the voice reached him, though he grimaced, distraught.

"I'm back at the cave, Barbara. Are you at the hospital?"

"Yes, me and Alfred. We checked on Dick."

Bruce clenched and unclenched his jaw, his gloved hand moving to tug the cowl from his face.

"What's his condition?"

There was a long pause before Barbara finally responded, her normally placid voice laced with stress and worry.

"They're not optimistic. Martha worked on him, but she's still in surgery with someone else; I haven't had a chance to talk to her. The nursing staff has only told us he suffered a brain injury, but they won't go into detail. How's your end?"

The billionaire, who had started pacing as Barbara explained the situation, stopped for a moment before continuing. A stress line had found a permanent home on the man's forehead, creasing into a multitude of worry wrinkles across his pale skin. Bruce shook his head as he paced, a tightness settling in his stomach.

"Everything's being wrapped up. Clayface is dead, Croc is almost dead. Harley and Ivy, Selina... I can't even begin to think about the number of citizen fatalities."

Barbara, from her end, ran a shaky hand through her red mane, the feeling momentarily settling his jumbled thoughts. She accepted the glass of water from Alfred before returning focus to Bruce.

"As far as I know, there have only been two reported deaths. There was a great deal of damage to property and homes, but many of the people I've seen come in and out have been mostly walking wounded. I think the goons were more supposed to cause fear and damage than death at this point. Maybe the people fit in somewhere else... I'm not sure though, I've only seen _one_ hospital. But the staff here has been working diligently and the cops on the streets have been giving antidotes to people affected. Gotham isn't in as bad a shape as we all predicted, Bruce."

The tall man had stilled as her voice wrapped around his thoughts, her words reaching deep in his mind. Still, unease surfaced within his chest and refused assistance, instead offering more upset to the man.

"We could have done more. I'll be up shortly. There's another call I have to put through."

"Bruce..."

His finger crossed over the call button but stopped, the edge in her voice halting his movements.

"Selina's here, too."

Blue eyes narrowed, a chill skittering across broad shoulders.

"How is she."

"I'm almost positive she'll make a full recovery. Be careful, Bruce. See you soon."

The silence suddenly shifted around him, an unfamiliar feeling bubbling from his gut. Shaking it free, the Dark Knight dialed a number from memory and waited.

"Yeah, Gordon."

"Jim, I know who shot Croc."

* * *

Selina watched the storm swirl just outside the window, her body cold like the snow she watched so fervently. The pain was less than she had expected, but still a definitive presence. She was reclining in the large bed, though the angle left her well aware of the wounds she had suffered. She had gravely pondered her mortality since waking from surgery, the very thought a puzzling abstract.

Finally tearing her eyes from the window, the blue orbs tracked to the hyena currently at the edge of her bed, then upwards to the clock, her brain automatically counting the time that had passed since Harley and the good doctor had left the room. A solid hour had since drained from her focus since the other rogue was wheeled away to surgery, her thoughts going out to the other woman in the hopes she was doing well. A shuffling noise broke Selina of her thoughts, drawing her attention to the still Ivy.

After long moments, Selina's intense focus zeroed in on the gentle twitch of the Plant Queen's right index finger. A warm relief suddenly filled the Cat, an emotion entirely foreign to her where the Vixen of the Vines was concerned. For some time, Selina took solace in watching the other woman, her blue eyes studying the form with the utmost curiosity. She knew very little of Ivy, knew only what Harley would share on their late nights above the streets of Gotham. Their relationship was virtually nonexistent, a fact neither of them seemed to mind.

Still, Selina's gaze wandered over her, the Cat's mind flashing pieces of memory across her focus. In the few times they had shared the same space, Ivy was always a fiery spirit of determination and confidence, fueled by a temper and quiet danger that the woman wore with ease. The Cat had seen the after effects of Ivy's legendary temper, and had been virtually impressed with the rogue. Still, they tended to keep their distance from one another, their energies in danger of clashing.

An escape of air from the green-skinned rogue suddenly snapped Selina's focus upwards to focus on the twisting face, worry wrinkling her brow. Selina frowned as she watched Ivy, the green eyes frantically moving beneath the tightly closed lids.

With a deep gasp, Ivy's body arched, her emerald eyes snapping open as a wave of agony exploded across her synapses. She moaned in anguish, her body writhing uncomfortably against the painful burning in her legs. Twisting her hands in the sheet, Ivy let out a strangled whimper, her body jolting her upward in bed. Bud and Al suddenly sprung to their feet and lifted their eyes to regard the upset Plant Queen, a low sound forcing its way up from the animals.

Selina pulled at the handle on her bed, her body reflexively wanting to reach out in comfort. Lou shifted as well, his focus bouncing between the women.

"...Ivy."

As she tugged her body upward, the bullet wound in her stomach violently reminded her of its presence, a sickening wave of torment bolting upwards to settle hotly at the back of her skull. Her hand immediately let go of the rail, allowing her body to fall backwards against the bed as her hand shifted to press against the wound, hoping to quell the nausea she suddenly felt. She winced, a low groan escaping at the pain through cracked lips.

Ivy, momentarily stunned at the voice, snapped her head to the side to look at the Cat Burglar, her green eyes focusing in concern. Ivy eventually stilled at the unrest, her hand grasping at the bedrail with painful force, knuckles white with effort. Bud, from his position on the floor, nuzzled her hand, ears slick back with worry. The woman's breath escaped in ragged bursts as she looked over at the paled burglar that currently held her abdomen in clear discomfort.

Selina reached down and slammed her hand against the call button, the searing pain growing in intensity. Unsure, her eyes slid over to Ivy. For a brief moment they locked eyes before Selina closed hers and leaned backward, attempting to ignore the pain.

A nurse appeared a moment later, moving to quell the alarm and tend to Selina. Al, who remained at the end of the bed, merely stared at her, garnering her threat level to his charge.

"Selina, what's wrong?"

Blue eyes opened and stared at the nurse, her teeth gritting against the heat in her stomach.

"Help... Ivy, first. I'll be okay."

The nurse's focus shifted to the stiff redhead as she lay in the bed, hand wrapped painfully tight around the railing, her breath coming in ragged spurts. Nodding, she swiftly left the room. Selina whimpered at the heat she could feel spreading as she leaned back again, her eyes instantly tracking toward the other occupant. Ivy lay in the center of the bed, her body curled as best as she could, limbs shaking.

A moment later, Liz and another nurse returned, the foremost of the women flicking on the room's lights as they approached. The second nurse stepped up to Selina and slid down the blanket, helping to expose the stomach injury. Al, sensing the need, shifted to the floor but remained locked on the new arrival. The nurse checked the wound, pleased that none of the stitches had popped, though they were strained.

Liz slid the curtain open all the way as she approached the green-skinned woman, a sense of nerves bubbling uncharacteristically in her chest as both the hyenas remained planted beside the bed. Green eyes cracked open and stared intently at the nurse as she moved. Liz, under the scrutiny, grabbed the tube from her pocket and slid it into her palm. Ivy suddenly gasped and sat up as best she could, eyes centering on the glowing orange liquid.

"Se-rum."

Her throat was dry, her voice a whisper.

Liz looked down at the vial before looking back up at the rogue.

"Yes, ma'am."

"...Harley?"

It was more a strangled whisper than a question, but Liz nodded before approaching the IVs hanging beside the Plant Queen, her focus strong. She pulled a syringe full of the liquid and emptied it into the IV in her hand, the orange liquid emptying quickly into the vein. Ivy weakly motioned for another, her voice still absent. Liz, concerned, did as was asked and filled the syringe again before pumping another dose into the redhead. Ivy nodded her thanks to the nurse before both women looked over at Selina, the second nurse making quick work of the wound and bandages. Ivy cleared her throat before looking back at the young brunette.

"Selina."

Weakly, she waved at hand at the wincing Cat Burglar, the woman in question lolling her head to the side at her name. Understanding, Liz pulled free a second syringe and cleared it of its packaging before loading it for Selina.

The second nurse, having finished her redressing of the wound, looked skeptically at the brunette.

"Liz, you can't just-"

"Doc Miller gave an okay for this stuff."

Not entirely placated, the other nurse simply nodded and left. Liz emptied the syringe for Selina before nodding to both and heading for the door, her hand flicking the light out as she closed the door behind her. Selina collapsed back against the bed, her body exhausted. Still, she lifted her IV up to inspect it, unsure of the orange liquid Ivy had requested to be pumped into her veins. A moment later, Selina had locked her focus on the other rogue, her glassy orbs taking in the obvious pain creasing Ivy's face.

Slowly, green eyes opened to look at the Cat Burglar, pain mixing just under the surface. They regarded each other for a long minutes, gazes never wavering.

* * *

Bruce pulled up in his spot before cutting the engine and stepping out into the blizzard that had descended upon his city. Slamming the door behind him and setting the alarm, he made quick work of the sidewalk that led to the emergency doors of Gotham General. Once inside, Bruce walked quickly toward the woman behind the counter.

"Excuse me, ma'am."

The woman looked up at the billionaire, momentarily stunned at his presence. He was dressed in a plain black suit, absent of the tie, and the top button of his pressed dress shirt lay open. Icy flakes clung to him, marring the normally pristine suit coat. Snapping out of her shock, the woman nodded to him.

"Yes, Mister Wayne?"

"I'm looking for Selina Kyle and Richard Grayson?"

The woman nodded, her hands dancing across the keys to the computer she sat in front of, hazel eyes searching. Reaching behind her, she grabbed a pass to hand to the man, a smile firmly on her face.

"Both are on the second floor. The women upstairs will direct you further."

Nodding his thanks to her, he left to the elevators and waited as he ascended the single story to his destination. Once clear of the elevator, Bruce headed directly toward the women at the nurse's station. The women smiled at his approach.

"Hello, Mister Wayne. Can I help you?"

The raven-haired man nodded, his hand moving to button the second button on his damp blazer.

"Yes, ladies. I'm looking for both Selina Kyle and Richard Grayson."

Liz nodded, although it was sad.

"Mr. Grayson is right down this hall here, room 202. He's in ICU and we ask that you not stay long. However, Ms. Kyle is in 237 and I'm afraid you may not be able to see her at the moment."

Concerned, Bruce lifted an eyebrow at the comment.

"What's wrong with Ms. Kyle?"

The young nurse flashed a nervous smile before running a hand through her brown hair. Finally, she looked at him and sighed.

"In all actuality, Mister Wayne, there are three hyenas in the room with her and another _woman_. And, to be perfectly honest, I don't know how they would react to a man walking in on them when they're under orders to protect. I'm only allowed in there because I was in the operating room with their master before we put her under."

Bruce nodded in understanding.

"I assume Poison Ivy is the other woman in the room with her?"

Liz nodded.

"Okay, then the three hyenas must belong to Harley Quinn, correct?"

Another nod.

"How is Selina, then, if I can't see her?"

Liz smiled, happy to have good news for someone.

"She's doing well. She's alive and safe, but she's in a great deal of pain and there was an urgency for surgery, but Doctor Miller is sure she'll be one-hundred percent again. She needs time."

He smiled, a small amount of stress leaving his shoulders at the news.

"Thank you. Where is the waiting room for this floor?"

"Down this hall, to the right."

He nodded his thanks again and turned toward the ICU, a bolt of nerves spreading in his bones. Making short work of the hallway, Bruce stopped outside the door to Dick's room before gently pushing it open and stepping inside. Slowly he approached his former partner, his nerves steeling against the emotion he felt attempting to stir in his chest. For a moment, he stood over his former charge before clenching his fists and exiting quietly. His feet took him toward the waiting room instinctively, his brain already aware of where he was going.

Once entering the vast waiting room, he approached the only two occupants and took the seat beside Barbara. She looked over at the stern profile and frowned.

"Bruce..."

After a minute, he turned to regard her.

"Aaron Cash shot Killer Croc."

* * *

Once the doors slid open, the full bustle of the Asylum became grossly apparent. Inhaling deeply, Cash slid into the room and headed for the Commissioner, who was talking animatedly on his cell phone.

"I don't give a rat's ass about that, Mason, just do it! I'm heading back in a bit!"

Aaron paused a respectful distance away and cleared his throat. Jim spun around and locked on the man, nodding to him as he ended the call and slid the phone into his pocket.

"Oh, Cash, good to see you. We could use your help around here. Want to work on your day off?"

Aaron paused a moment, his resolve wavering before he gently shook his head.

"No, sir. I'd like to talk to you about something. In private, if you have a moment."

Jim approached the man and placed a hand on his shoulder, a smirk forming on the man's face.

"Is this about Croc?"

Cash, in his confusion, shuddered at the mention of the scaled behemoth.

"Sir?"

"I know about you taking down Croc, Aaron. Batman called it in a while ago, told me you took the shot when you saw Croc trying to take him down. You did a real service, Cash."

Astounded, Cash began to shake. He placed his good hand on the Commissioner's shoulder, unsure of himself.

"But, sir, I-"

"It's all right, son. Just go get your gear and report to the desk. I'm going to need you at you best, there's a transport that's in need of a serious security rolling in soon."

Confused, Cash drew his eyebrows together.

"What is it, sir?"

Narrowing his eyes, Jim leaned toward the man.

"I can't say in the open, but you need to guard it with your life. See that it gets to where it needs to get and keep it there until it can be dealt with properly, understand?"

Aaron nodded, instantly feeling a cold ball build in his stomach at the severity of Jim's tone. With a last pat on the shoulder, Jim withdrew toward the exit. For a moment, Aaron watched him leave before snapping back into work mode. He approached a side hallway, the outlet leading him to the locker room. Approaching his locker, he quickly spun the combo and pulled free his gear. Fishing the phone out of his pocket, he pressed two and call and waited for it to dial. A comforting voice on the line caused a large smile to form on his face.

"Hey, baby. The Bat helped me out. Yeah... yeah, I'll explain when I get home. I'm gonna work though, be home soon. Love you."

Cash hung up the phone and tossed it in the bag in his locker. Locking it, he sprinted out of the room and toward his men, fully prepared for the onslaught.

* * *

Selina had been in and out over the last half hour, the pain in her abdomen greatly quelled by the effects of Ivy's serum. The howling outside, however, finally woke her. Out of habit, she shifted her sight to the left, her eyes landing on the Plant Queen that lie awake, emerald gaze focused on the ceiling. For long minutes, Selina watched Ivy's face, the redhead's eyes finally sliding over to consider the dark-haired woman. Ivy caught her eyes, emerald gaze softening slightly.

"You two were together when you were attacked, weren't you?"

Selina swallowed at the question, her throat suddenly threatening to close. The images from the rooftop fluttered across her subconscious, awakening a dormant inner turmoil that the Cat had simply refused to accept. Ignoring the tears that suddenly stung her eyes, Selina focused her gaze on Ivy.

"Yeah, we were. She found me on top of Wayne Tower, and we were talking about Gotham and the Joker, and somehow... Somehow the Joker and Bane and his men just... Appeared. Somehow they'd gotten on that roof without either one of us hearing them. Joker sent his men after us, trying to capture us for his stupid 'party' that he wouldn't shup up about."

Intrigued, Ivy tilted her head at the story, curious at the words as they tumbled free. Selina, voice hoarse and grating, inhaled deeply for a moment, pausing in her story to control the emotions attempting to burst free. She swallowed hard before licking her lips.

"And, oh. Harley and I just did what we could to take them out. There were so many of them for some reason, like he brought an army just because he could. I... I climbed one of the Wayne letters to try and get a better vantage point on the goons I was fighting, but that... That was my mistake. I didn't take cover, not like Harley. Joker shot me clear through my leg with his goddamn 45."

The dark haired woman looked down at the leg in question, thick and numb, as it lay propped up on a pillow. The imprint of the pain in her mind suddenly made the otherwise quiet injury throb in renewed vigor. She rubbed gently at the blanket over the heavily bandaged wound, her hands shaking more violently the more she recanted.

"I-I felt myself starting to fall after my leg collapsed underneath me. I pushed off with my good leg, just... just trying to get away from the guys and their guns. But the rain, and the lack of a warning... I was an open target. I avoided one of his other bullets as I tried to fall toward a lower part of the roof, just to try and get some cover. But he landed a hit in my gut before I was safe."

Tears were silently falling down the cat burglar's pale face as she continued, unable to stop herself; Ivy struggled with her own composure, remembering her own ordeal and acknowledging the vulnerability they currently shared.

"I saw the roof approaching faster than I could compensate and I slammed into it after my good leg failed to catch me. I almost blacked out. I heard Harley's gun go off a few times and I heard her scream my name, and then she was above me. Before I knew it, she was kneeling over me and pressing her costume sleeves to my wounds to try and stop the bleeding. I could feel the vibrations underneath me as Bane was trying to take out the wall to get to us. Harley wasn't hurt then, just a few burns from bullets that had skimmed her. I didn't want her to die, so I told her to run."

Ivy's resolve finally broke at the image produced, the tears coming quickly and quietly. Harley had been so strong in her resolve. Selina sniffled after a pause before locking eyes with the equally emotional Ivy, a wave of raw energy pulsing between the women.

"Harley was crying and telling me she didn't want to leave me, and she was kneeling over me when Bane broke a crack in the wall, ready to fight. But I couldn't- couldn't let her. I didn't want her to die, too. So I made her go. She finally left me, and they chased after her, bullets flying. The last thing I remember was her falling over the side and Bane's mask before I blacked out."

Selina's voice cracked as her body collapsed against the bed, the emotional release strong against her resolve. Ivy nodded, shaken at the recollection. She swallowed hard, hands shaking.

"I was coming out of Penguin's and heading back to my car when I got blind-sided by a charging Croc. He and Clayface had waited me out, and in my distraction with Harley, I wasn't as diligent as I should have been. Clayface caught me up in his horrid ooze and rambled on about being part of the Joker's plan. I blew up a plant inside his grip, but before I could get free, Croc had me again. I angered him and he slammed me into the sidewalk as if I were just some doll. I felt so much of me _break_."

Ivy's raspy voice broke slightly as she shuddered at the memory, her mending body pulsing with lingering pain.

"I blacked out after he slammed me into the sidewalk, and remembered waking up in some horrible room..."

Teary green eyes connected instantly with bloodshot blue, understanding surfacing between them.

"...with you."

Selina's face broke into a small smile as she leaned her head back to relax against the mattress, gaze never leaving Ivy.

"You gave me something in that room, didn't you?"

Ivy nodded as she settled herself against her own mattress, vision still drawn to the Cat.

"Yes. I had given myself something first, and then I noticed you. I didn't think you were going to make it. I found a piece of Harley's suit clasped in your fist, and I knew. I knew you were together. It terrified me: you were practically dead, I could only wonder how Harley was."

Selina nodded, her tears slowing as her body relaxed. Her head turned further to the side, relieving the pressure she felt building. Her voice was weak as she responded, the exhaustion in her body drawing her in.

"I thought I _was_ dead. When I woke up hanging from that building, I thought I was in Hell."

"We _were_ in Hell. I was beside you until the Joker shot me down. When Croc came to get us from that room, I didn't think either one of us would make it."

Silence settled afterward, though it was contemplative. Selina's tired eyes continued their journeying over Ivy as the Plant Queen glanced back, a surreal discomfort settling over Ivy's skin. Images of the harlequin flitted through her mind's eye, an accompanying sadness overwhelming her cognitive processes.

"Have... Did you see Harley?"

Selina's tired eyes lifted to look at the redhead, a strange feeling settling over her at the remembered sight of the harlequin less than two hours prior.

"She was in here... the boys followed her in. I was surprised at how she could be alive, let alone walking in to see you. She had demanded to see you before going under. She was so afraid for you."

Ivy squeezed her eyes closed at the image that suddenly flashed before her. A tenuous stress ball began to form in her stomach at the thought of the blonde's state.

"...did she make it?"

Her voice was a tense whisper, the tears that had ceased suddenly renewing with violent tenacity.

"I'm... not sure. She was in here about two hours ago. I haven't seen the doctor since then, either, so I hope they're both still in surgery."

Ivy nodded as Selina cleared her throat, the green-skinned woman feeling even more weak. She leaned back against the bed, a free hand moving to dangle over the edge of her bed, fingertips brushing the top of a coarse head just below. There was silence for a long moment before Ivy piped up once more, voice low.

"You and Harley have been friends for a long time, haven't you?"

Selina smiled gently, eyebrows twitching as pain snaked its way up her body.

"Yeah, I guess you could call it that. She's..."

"Absolutely wonderful."

Liz came in a moment later, water and medication in hand. The young brunette nodded to Ivy before hanging a bag with the orange serum beside the others, her hands hooking up the IV with practiced ease. Stopping to do the same with Selina, the nurse backed up to stand between both the beds, eyes shifting from the hyenas to both the haggard rogues. She offered a glass of water to Ivy, who drank heartily, desperately seeking the liquid. Selina merely sipped hers before placing it back on the table. Satisfied, Liz stood back to scan the women before crossing her arms out of habit.

"How're you guys doing in here?"

Both nodded before Ivy cleared her still parched throat, hands moving for more water but failing to make much headway.

"Weak. Harley?"

Liz frowned before absently twirling the ponytail she currently wore. Leaning forward, she absently lifted the small pitcher to refill the redhead's cup before responding.

"Doctor Miller is still in surgery with her, but last word was positive."

Flicking her eyes from Ivy to Selina, the woman tipped her chin, offering a small smile.

"How're you, Selina?"

"Numb? Exhausted."

The nurse nodded and slipped free a bag filled with a clear liquid to hang beside Selina's other IVs before turning to leave.

"Call if you need anything."

Selina exhaled through her teeth before tossing her head over to observe the pensive Plant Queen.

"Thank you. For all you did for me, I mean."

Without looking up, Ivy smiled softly, eyes slipping closed.

"You convinced Harley to throw herself off a building to save herself. I think we're even."

* * *

_I realized about halfway through writing this chapter that a) it was going to be an Ivy/Catwoman chapter, and that b) this would be the only chapter that doesn't directly include Harley. This three year old story is wrapping up soon, but there will be more to follow. Boojangles, out._


	19. Chapter 19

Hours later, Martha Miller exited the OR, exhausted but pleased. Harley was being moved to recovery after the extensive surgery to correct a plethora of injuries, most of which would have been debilitating under normal circumstances. Moving herself to clean up, Martha did so quickly, shedding all the garments she needed for surgery. Her team trickled out behind her, all tired but in otherwise good spirits. Martha grinned at each of them as they filed in, an array of greetings meeting her in response. Thanking her team for the diligence and reverence, Martha exited the large room, intent on cleaning herself of the day.

Heading toward the nurse's station, her brown eyes scanned the faces of the two women, silently asking about the three on the floor. When she received mixed signals, she paused at the station and placed both hands on the smooth counter before regarding the women.

"Why am I getting a thumbs up from one of you and _that_ face from the other?"

Liz cleared her throat, eyes jumping to Joy before settling on the doctor.

"Cat & Ivy seem to be doing well enough, but you'll have to _really_ check Ivy. However..."

Joy cleared her throat and leaned forward in her chair, her elbows going up to rest on the counter.

"202 isn't doing as well."

Sighing, the doctor blew the loose bangs from her eyes and moved to scrub the exhaustion from her eyes. Her day seemed to drag impossibly onward. Her eyes shifted to check her watch and groaned at the late hour.

"Okay, I'm going to clean up, scarf down some food, then check on everyone. Make sure you keep a close look on Harley, there was more wrong than we thought. I'll be back in 15, gonna check Ivy & Selina first."

With that, the doctor floated down the hall, her step renewing with a second burst of energy reserves. Bumping the door to one of the employee lounges, Martha pulled free her lunch from the fridge and made quick work of the food. Once finished, and after a long scrub, she slipped through another door and approached her locker. Spinning the numbers with barely a thought, the lock slid down and out, allowing Martha to fish out her object of desire before she reflexively attached the lock and spun it in a fluid motion. Finally, and with a bit of recklessness, she slid into a fresh pair of scrubs and donned her white coat before coasting back into the hall.

The surgeon approached her first door and pulled free her glasses, slipping them on as she opened the door. Two sets of eyes lifted to glance at her as she strode forward. Smiling at the two women, Martha stopped just beside Selina's bed, careful of the hyena that looked up at her from the floor.

"Good evening, ladies. How are you both feeling? Selina?"

The seemingly exhausted burglar nodded to the doctor, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Not as bad. Miracle serum helped."

Pleased, Martha turned her attention to the quiet Plant Queen, unsure of the look she currently received. Walking forward, Martha side-stepped the ever present duo of hyenas beside the redhead's bed before stopping just near the green-skinned rogue, eyes set.

"What about you? How are you doing?"

Ivy looked up at her, emerald eyes searching the doctor's face for any sign of emotional distress, still unsure about Harley. After a long moment of careful searching, Ivy's eyes fluttered, the emotional gaze tearing through the doctor.

"I want to see Harley."

Martha smiled gently before patting the redhead's shoulder, brown eyes sure.

"I want to get you checked out before I have you worry about Harley. She's in recovery, she needs some time to rest."

Ivy tensed at the words, her emerald eyes focusing hard on the doctor's calm face. Her hands flexed, her long fingers wrapping themselves in the fold of the blanket covering her still damaged legs.

"Please. Harley battled every obstacle to get to me, I'm more than willing to do the same."

Martha smiled at the redhead, the intensity of the rogue's words echoing in her mind. Careful of the emotional strain the redhead currently suffered under, Martha shifted her hands to gently tug at the blanket cover. Pulling back the white sheets, the surgeon's well-trained eyes raked over the still damaged legs, the sharp focus picking up on the drastic change the Plant Queen had undergone in the few hours since receiving the serum. A low whistle from the cat burglar shifted the doctor's focus backward before bouncing back to the redhead in understanding.

"You're looking better, Ivy. It's incredible, actually. The fractured leg still is of concern, but the regeneration is simply astounding."

Moving her gloved hands to gently run along the browned skin, Martha carefully checked the sturdiness of the Vixen of the Vines, ultimately pleased at her progress. Smiling up at the still distraught woman, the surgeon patted the healing skin before recovering the appendages. Her eyes flicked back to Selina as she moved to approach the raven-haired rogue, her focus sliding down to the Cat's abdomen as she removed her own covers. Martha shifted the bandage, mostly satisfied with the other rogue's recovery. She shook her head, the rate of healing the two women possessed almost an impossibility. Stepping backwards, the doctor paused between both the beds, her eyes moving between the women.

"It's remarkable, truly. I never expected that kind of healing."

Selina shifted in her bed, the discomfort of the wounds still settling heavy across her skin.

"I was expecting more pain."

Martha nodded before turning her attention back to the redhead, eyes softening at the wounded look on Ivy's face.

"Miss Isley, I promise... when Harley wakes up, I'll do everything I can to get you over to see her."

Overcome with emotion, Ivy merely nodded before slipping closed her eyes and leaning back, the still-lingering burning in her legs distracting her thoughts. Selina slid her eyes over to the redhead, sapphire orbs alight with worry. Martha understood the action, a small smirk twisting her lips at the sentiment. Readjusting her glasses, she slid her hands into her pockets, the motion drawing the focus of the Cat.

"I have others waiting, but I'll be back in a bit to check in. In the meantime, Liz and Joy are just down the hall if something should go wrong."

With that, the brunette left the room, gently clicking the door shut behind her. Selina, in her wake, turned her full attention on the silently crying Ivy, the raven-haired woman's eyebrows scrunching in her upset.

"Ivy..."

"She didn't tell me anything about Harley, is that bad?"

* * *

Martha approached the closed door and steeled her nerves before turning the handle and stepping inside. The lone occupant sat motionless, the many machines around him beeping in an abstract harmony. Approaching the bedside, Martha paused just beside him, brown eyes gently roaming the prone form. His condition had not improved, leaving a tight stress ball settling uneasily in the doctor's stomach. Brain activity was still virtually nonexistent; any other functions also ceased to exist. Shaking her head, Martha looked down at the young man, the severity rooting just behind her ribcage, sending pulses of disappointment through the doctor. With a last look, Martha turned and left, her feet taking her down the long hallway to the waiting room.

Finally entering the large room, her tired eyes focused on the two seated just to the left before jumping to the tense figure standing at the window, still. Barbara and Alfred both tore their eyes from the impossibly worse news report to focus on the doctor, both pairs of eyes raw with emotion. The man at the window did not turn, though she was aware of his reflected eyes focusing dangerously on her. Nodding to the small group, Martha completely entered the room before addressing the closest pair.

"Hello, everyone."

Barbara nodded to her old friend before wheeling up to her, bloodshot emerald eyes looking through the surgeon.

"I don't want you to sugarcoat anything, Martha. Just tell us... What's going to happen to Dick?"

Sensing the dread of the conversation, Bruce leaned forward on the window sill, a tenseness settling across his shoulders at the aspect. Alfred cleared his throat and removed his hat, his gloved hands moving to wring the soft material out of nervousness. Martha's focus flicked between the people before slipping closed, her nerves hardening at the impending conversation. After a tense moment, Martha opened her eyes to focus solely on the former heroine.

"As I'm sure you've seen, his physical condition is rather deplorable. I _have_ seen worse injuries, but the tissue damage was quite extensive. However, the visible damage is not what is the concerning part. His windpipe was crushed almost completely, which caused a great decline of oxygen to the brain. Because of his state of injury, and whatever force caused the damage, his body couldn't get an adequate oxygen supply to filter through his bloodstream."

Barbara reacted instantly to the news, the tears she had worked so hard to quell unleashed suddenly, causing a strangled gasp to escape into the stillness around her. Alfred moved one of his hands to gently grasp the woman's forearm, his own tears threatening to spill. Adjusting his focus to take in the calm face of the doctor, he spoke up.

"And in layman's terms, madam?"

Bruce, from his still perch at the window, turned to regard his oldest friend, jaw flexing in time with his racing thoughts as he moved toward the trio. Martha studied him as he walked, the strain in the man's gaze torching her with a strong emotion. Shaking free the feeling, she refocused on the steely blue eyes of the CEO.

"The lack of oxygen has caused damage to the brain. Heart rate has become elevated, and he cannot function without mechanical assistance. The amount of time before he was recovered and before oxygen could be reintroduced was quite extensive, meaning..."

A cry tore itself free from the former heroine, unable to be stopped. Barbara hunched over in her chair, her body shaking violently as the tears came in waves, her forehead almost touching her knees as she attempted to curl tightly around the turmoil coursing through her. Alfred place his hand on her shoulder and squeezed shut his eyes, his owns tears finally breaking free. Bruce swallowed the emotion forming in his throat, his now gray eyes focusing on the doctor as she paused respectfully in her relay.

"What's the final prognosis, Doctor."

Martha shifted her focus to the towering man, brown eyes haunted.

"I'm afraid Richard Grayson is beyond the point of return. Even if he regains any form of consciousness, normal brain function is not a reality. The brain tissue went so long without proper nourishment that the reintroduction of oxygen reacted negatively and caused what we call a reperfusion injury. I'm sorry, Mister Wayne."

Bruce felt his jaw clench painfully at the final blow, his chest tightening at the harrowing news. Barbara hunched further forward, her body shaking violently as she sobbed into her hand, the noise a faint coughing sound. Alfred regarded the nurse thoughtfully, his tear-stained face a terribly depressive sight. He cleared his throat, not trusting his voice.

"So... what becomes of Master Grayson?"

Martha sighed as she ran her hand through her hair, her emotions pulsing strongly though her veins. She had a deeply passionate hatred for relaying heart-wrenching news, especially to those close to her.

"Well, we can take him off life support, or we can keep him on and see where it goes from there. That's something you guys can-"

"_No._ I don't want him to _suffer_."

Martha shifted her focus back to the redhead, her heart breaking at the impossibly sad look on the heroine's face as she finally looked up. Barbara gripped her armrests painfully, emerald eyes flashing in defiance.

"Dick wouldn't want to stay like that. Bruce?"

The man in question nodded almost immediately, stern face unchanged. Martha bobbed her head in understanding before turning to leave, knowing the three followed just behind. She led them down the hall to the vigilante's room, her face set in stone as she stopped just beside his bed and waited for the three to file in the small space. She smiled out of reflex, though it was sad.

"I'll give you whatever time you need. I'm so sorry for your loss."

With that, Martha slid passed the two men before stopping beside Barbara. Pausing a moment to squeeze the redhead's shoulder, Martha looked down at her, offering silent support before ultimately leaving the trio to their final prayers.

* * *

Aaron paced the loading dock as the Coroner's truck slowly backed in. Looking over his shoulder at the small group of his most loyal guards, Aaron jerked his head forward, signaling one of his men to approach the stopped truck. Moving a gloved hand to open the double doors of the van, the armored officer tugged open the doors, startled to find it empty. Cash, upon seeing the empty unit, immediately called over the radio.

"We got a problem down at the loading dock!"

Three inmates suddenly appeared around the truck and attacked the group of officers, causing Aaron to open fire in the small space of the dock. The driver of the truck, a costumed goon, slid free of the cockpit before opening fire on the men, a sinister smile on his painted face. Cash, upon seeing the man, opened fire, his eyes wide in disbelief. After a brief fire fight, the three men lay dead and an armored officer wounded, causing Aaron to curse under his breath.

Shouldering the man, Cash gestured for the two others to follow, his deep voice barking out orders as they headed back to the main hub.

"RECON TO BASE, THE BODY'S BEEN COMPROMISED. SEARCH THE GROUNDS, WE HAVE TO FIND IT, OVER."

An extended silence greeted them before a faint voice crackled over the comm, an eerie calmness to the effeminate voice.

"Don't worry, boys. Mister Joker is safe. Base, out."

Aaron stopped his retreat suddenly, a chill skittering across his shoulders. Handing off the injured officer to the two confused men, Cash patted his vest for his phone, cursing before he finally found the pocket he sought. Brown eyes shifted up to focus on a button on the wall, his bad hand moving to slam into the alarm as he smiled briefly, happy when the shrill noise echoed around him. His shoulder comm sputtered to life in that moment, the familiar voice of another officer reaching his ears.

"We're on our way, Cash, what's your status!?"

As he relayed the information to the approaching Beta group, Aaron scanned the contacts on his phone before dialing the familiar number, a grim realization settling in over the senior officer. After a moment, the phone patched through.

"Cash, what is it?"

Swallowing his pride, Aaron shook his head before turning to focus on the small group of faithfuls looking to him with grim understanding.

"Commissioner Gordon... the body's been stolen."

* * *

After relaying the grim news, Martha took some time to think in a quiet waiting room, attempting to cease the insane pounding of her heart. After a while, she had heard news of the other trauma teams in the building dealing with an influx of the wounded, and her thoughts went out to them in the insanity. She was already a few hours over her shift, and she was acutely aware of her daytime counterpart already hard at work in the busy hospital. The doctor's brown eyes looked out the large windows for long moments, her focus gently floating between the swirling snow and the halo of light around the lamppost just down the walk. Shaking free the melancholy that clung to her like the lab coat she wore, she turned, feet taking her out of the room and toward the nurses' station on her floor, shoulders weak with exhaustion.

Checking her watch out of habit, she chuckled humorlessly at the time, noticing she had been in the building for almost sixteen hours. Shaking her head, her tired eyes looked up at the exhausted faces of her two favorite nurses as she approached, focus scanning the women for signs of intrigue. Seeing one, she stopped at the station and leaned heavily on the counter, legs tingly with sleep.

"News?"

"Yeah, Doc. Harley's awake."

Martha raised her eyebrows in impression, a smile etching across her paled skin.

"Liz, grab a wheelchair and come with me to Ivy's room, please."

Widely smiling, Liz nodded and stood before stretching, allowing her tired muscles to loosen and her stiff back to relax slightly. Starting toward a side hall, Liz disappeared around the corner to fetch the required equipment. Martha turned her focus back to Joy and smiled brighter, bloodshot eyes glowing with an inner excitement.

"And Joy, come help me detach Ivy from her stationaries to the mobile unit. And please, if we have more, bring me her IV."

Joy nodded as she too went toward fetching the requested items, a small smile tracing her lips in her exhaustion. With a new wind of giddiness, Martha walked toward the rogues' room, confidence in her stride. Liz met her at the intersection before both walked toward the entrance before being intercepted by Joy with the proper IV and mobile stand. Martha stopped to gather the things from Joy before nodding down the hall.

"Joy, can you please go detach Harley from those machines? I'm sure she'll do so on her own if she were to see Ivy, I'd rather us do it for her so she doesn't hurt herself any further."

Joy nodded before heading toward recovery, thankful the night was coming to a close. Martha turned and smiled at Liz, her brown eyes warm.

"Help me with Ivy, and we'll be good to go. Thank you so much for all your help tonight."

Liz nodded, smile contagious. The two women slowly opened the door to the shared room, each nodding in response to the pair of eyes upon them. Martha flicked on the low lights, the soft bulbs illuminating the bluish room in an inviting white. Selina looked over the two women with serious sapphire eyes, those same orbs scanning the two with brilliant intrigue. Martha smiled as she approached the women.

"Morning, ladies. If you don't mind, Ivy, I'd like to take you down to see Harley."

The emerald eyes that had watched them so closely watered at the simple phrase, the overwhelming emotion causing the Plant Queen to nearly burst. Selina, too, shared in the feeling, an amused smile splitting her dry lips as a comforting relief settled around her. Martha approached the green-skinned rogue as she gestured for both hyenas to clear, elated when they moved aside with no fight. Locking the wheelchair, Liz moved around to help Martha with the redhead, careful of the still delicate Plant Queen. Martha paused for a moment, brown eyes locking on emotional green.

"Are you sure you can move?"

Ivy nodded enthusiastically, emotion choking her words as she forced herself into a sitting position in the bed. Using her reserves, Ivy slid herself around slightly, her movement aided by the doctor and nurse. Carefully, Ivy slid forward, her wilted legs responding just enough to get her over to the wheelchair with minimal pain. The splinted leg was then lifted by the footrest of the chair, allowing the redhead to sit with some comfort in the metal chair. Pausing a moment to catch her breath, Ivy shifted her vision to the smiling face of her roommate, the sight causing a white-hot bolt of emotion to pulse through her veins.

From her perch between their beds, Ivy lifted her tired arm to bring her hand up, her eyes never wavering from the cat burglar. Selina lifted her hand to grasp Ivy's before bringing the callused hand between her own, her fingers moving to gently smooth the swollen knuckles. The sapphire eyes of the Cat roamed the emotional face of her fellow rogue, her words forming well before Ivy's.

"Say 'Hi' to your princess for me, yeah?"

Ivy nodded, still unable to speak around the lump of emotion in her chest. Squeezing the hand still within in her own, Ivy slowly retracted, eyes never leaving the other woman as Martha slowly wheeled her backward. Once clear of the bed, Liz attached Ivy to a small, orange IV before allowing Martha to further remove Ivy from the shared room. Just as she was leaving, Ivy turned slightly, emerald gaze focused on the two hyenas that looked after her in confusion.

"Stay."

For a moment, Bud and Al stood before breaking apart and approaching Selina to lie beside her bed. Happy, Ivy leaned back into the chair, a nervous energy building in her chest. Liz broke away from the pair quietly, silently offering her support as Ivy was wheeled closer to recovery. From just down the hall, the emerald eyes of the rogue focused on the second nurse as she left a room, a large smile offering up her support as well. Martha stopped just down the hall from the open door and moved to stand before Ivy.

"Think you can get yourself in there, or do you want me to push you?"

Ivy shook her head, emerald eyes igniting. Ivy reached the doctor as Martha leaned forward to clasp the hand of the Vixen of the Vines. The rogue cleared her throat, voice still thick with emotion.

"Thank you. Thank you for everything you've done for us."

Martha nodded and squeezed the hand she held before letting go and receding. She motioned toward the door, brilliant smile lighting up her face.

"Go ahead, Pamela."

Martha nodded to her before slowly walking back down the hallway, leaving Ivy alone in the sterile hallway. For a moment she sat, allowing the moment to wash over her before she undid the brakes to her chair and slowly pushed herself forward. The strength that had left her arms suddenly returned, allowing her to cover the distance to the door with ease. Stopping just outside the open door, Ivy calmed the nerves buzzing in her chest before pushing a final time, the movement propelling her through the frame of the door and in full view of the battered harlequin sitting just on the edge of the bed.

Sapphire eyes suddenly looked up, instantly watering at the sight of the Plant Queen. Stumbling from the edge of the bed, Harley staggered to the redhead and tumbled into her as she pushed from the wheelchair, body collapsing safely against the blonde as they collided. Harley grasped tightly to the redhead, vision blinded by the tears that came violently and with no warning. Ivy wrapped her arms tightly around the blonde bundle in her arms, her own tears falling with violent force. She buried her face in the neck of the sobbing blonde, beyond thankful for the life that clung to the blonde with outstanding resolve.

Harley sobbed heavily into the redhead's chest, her emotional state beyond the point of comprehension. Bruised fingers twisted in the scrub material the redhead wore, that same material clinging to the blonde's skin like a protective cocoon. Taking a moment to breathe, Harley pulled away, her free hand moving up to cup the redhead's tear-stained cheek. Sapphire eyes roamed the face of the crying Plant Queen, an overwhelming feeling of comfort pulsing across her chest. Harley hiccupped, shaking her head as a small laugh escaped the woman in an emotional tumble.

"I love you so goddamn much, Red."

Ivy nodded at the blonde before wrapping her arms around her, the shock of finally seeing the harlequin still building in her mind. Ivy peppered the blonde's face with kisses, beyond thrilled to see the other rogue still alive. Tears came harder at the aspect, the thought of losing the harlequin slamming harshly against Ivy as she clung even harder to Harley, intent on never letting go.

"I-I was so afraid to lose you."

Harley nodded and collapsed in Ivy's arms, her body still in incredible pain from surgery. Still, she felt amazing to finally be with Ivy after all they had been through. Harley tangled her free hand in the redhead's scrubs, face moving to press against Ivy's cheek in emotional agony.

"I thought you were dead."

Ivy squeezed her eyes shut at the words, her fingers moving to clench harshly at the blonde's scrubs. She shook her head violently, her brain attempting to block out the images from the night, instead trying to focus solely on the feeling of Harley in her arms.

"Harley, Harley... it doesn't. Doesn't matter. God, baby, I love you."

Harley lifted her head from Ivy's cheek and smashed their lips together, the emotion torment they had suffered separately melting away as they kissed deeply. Ivy whimpered as she clawed at the harlequin, desperately attempting to bring her closer as the onslaught of feeling stampeded through her at breakneck speed. Pulling away just enough to reposition her hurting leg, Ivy shifted in Harley's arms before kissing her once more, the impressive feeling of the harlequins rough lips drawing her deeper into the blonde.

For long minutes they shared their kiss, the time slipping away with little importance. Finally, Ivy pulled away just enough to breathe, her lips still tickling the blonde's. Ivy eventually shifted backward, her concerned emerald eyes looking over the well-bandaged harlequin.

"Harley... my God."

Exhausted, Harley chuckled for a moment before leaning forward into Ivy, content to rest as the pain continued its journey through her body. She smiled before pressing light kisses to the redhead's soft throat, enjoying the pulse point just under her lips, comforted by the life it represented.

"Don't think 'bout it."

Ivy lifted her head back, fingers moving to tangle in the wild blonde locks as the other rogue nuzzled just below her jawline. Feeling the movement, Ivy tugged the other woman up, her lips moving to cover Harley's once again as they continued the languid exploration of the other.

Harley pulled away again, a bolt of pain distracting her from the redhead in her arms. Ivy, noticing the grimace, focused her eyes on the bed just behind them.

"You need to be in that bed."

Harley harshly shook her head, hand moving to twist in Ivy's scrubs once more.

"I don't want to be away from you anymore. I need to be with you."

Ivy smiled and nuzzled the blonde again before shaking her head, her own pain distracting her from reason. Turning just slightly, she looked out the door, hoping to see someone. Turning her focus back to Harley, she ran her hands through the blonde hair before using her thumbs to smooth the wrinkles above the blonde's eyebrows.

"Harley, we both need to rest."

"Then we'll rest together."

Harley leaned backward until she was flat on the floor, gently pulling the redhead until they were both in a reclining position. Ivy, having been in an awkward position, shifted her heavy legs to better extend, allowing the green-skinned beauty to curl herself up on the blonde's stomach. Harley released the breath she had been holding, the release of air causing the blonde to lay fully flat on that floor, shocks of pain pulsing all across her torn form. Unconsciousness pulled roughly at the blonde's slipping thoughts, causing the former psychologist to seek Ivy's hand before she was no longer able.

Ivy, sensing the desperation, lifted her head just enough to focus on Harley's fading consciousness as her heart went out to the blonde, the gravity of the situation finally settling over her. Grasping the searching hand, Ivy placed a kiss on the back of the scraped knuckles before placing her head back on the blonde's stomach, overjoyed that they were both still alive. After a moment, Ivy felt the body beneath her cheek relax fully, signaling the blonde's loss at fighting the much needed rest. Ivy smiled despite herself, knowing most of what the blonde had been through.

"Joker's... dead."

Ivy lifted her head at the shocking revelation, green eyes searching the face of the blonde as she dozed. Exhausted blue eyes fluttered open for a moment before slipping closed once more, the blonde lacking any strength to keep them open.

"You..."

"Killed 'im."

Ivy's face scrunched in thought, the very thought an insane possibility that her overloaded brain couldn't wrap around. Distracted by a tapping, Ivy tossed her head over her shoulder, green eyes landing on the team standing just at the door.

"If you don't mind, we'd like to get you guys situated?"

Harley stirred at the voice, a small noise of upset emanating from the broken rogue.

"Mm-no. Stay."

Martha nodded before approaching the entangled pair, a soft smile encompassing her exhausted face.

"You'll be together."

Martha reached her hand out to the reclining Ivy, intent on getting her back in the chair to be moved back to her room. Liz and Joy assisted the still weak rogue, making quick of the Plant Queen's position and easy sliding her back in her chair. Confused, Ivy's eyes bounced around the women as she was wheeled backward into the far corner of the room. The wild green eyes then focused on the semi-conscious Harley as she searched for the redhead that was once just in her grasp. A low whine emerged from within the blonde, causing the glassy blue eyes to open in confusion.

"R-red?"

Ivy, from her position to the side, called out to the other woman, not quite understanding.

"Ivy's right here, baby. Don't worry..."

Martha grasped the hand of the increasingly upset harlequin as she bent over her, attempting to cause the blonde to focus.

"Don't worry, Harley. We're just moving you."

Another bed was wheeled into the room, the smaller size suddenly dawning on Ivy. The two men that escorted the bed moved forward, easily lifting the distraught Harley onto the pristine sheets. Liz and Joy grabbed the equipment needed from the room as the men focused on the blonde, trained hands moving without thought. Lifting the brakes on the bed, the team pushed Harley from the room, equipment in tow. Martha approached the redhead and shifted her forward before pushing her to follow the mobile blonde. Twisting, Ivy looked up at the doctor as they moved.

"Where are you taking us?"

Martha smiled down at the rogue, brown eyes sparkling.

"We're putting you back in your room. We've just made room for Harley, too."

Nodding, Ivy sat back in the chair, the pain she felt earlier almost non-existent now. Green eyes focused on the door frame as the light of the room spilled out into the hallway, illuminating the harlequin as she was wheeled into the open door. Ivy was just behind, being gently wheeled back to her bed as her eyes took in the sight of the men setting Harley up on the opposite side of the room. After Liz and Joy assisted the Plant Queen back to her bed, Ivy watched as the men left almost as quickly they had come, both offering a nod to the doctor for a job well done. Martha reattached the IVs to the redhead, the same contagious smile still on her lips. Finally finished, she tossed an amused look behind her to the hyena that settled almost instantly on the blonde's lap. Turning her eyes back to both Ivy and Selina, Martha's smile grew.

"We've never had three to a room, but to avoid future problems, I requested that we just throw you all together. It'll be easier to monitor the progress that way. Ivy, how's the pain?"

Ivy paused for a moment in thought, mouth twisting in a smile.

"Almost gone."

Nodding, the doctor smiled.

"Good. Very good."

Moving to a drawer on the far wall, Martha fished free a multi-colored blanket before turning her focus back to the redhead. Tears had formed in the emerald eyes, elated at seeing the object. Martha handed the folded green and red blanket back to the Plant Queen, smile unchanging.

"You forgot this last time."

Ivy nodded as she nuzzled the blanket, joy coursing through her. She glanced up, eyes focusing on the doctor.

"Thank you, for all you've done. I don't know how to thank you enough."

Martha nodded before turning her eyes toward the cat burglar, the familiar sapphire eyes trained on the bandaged harlequin before her. Finally, Selina lifted her eyes, smile reflexively forming.

"I should thank you as well."

Martha shook her head before squeezing the cat's shoulder, offering silent support.

"I wish you all well, ladies. But for now, I'm going home. Take care of each other, and the new crew will be in at some point to check on you all. Good night."

Both women bid the exhausted doctor farewell as they watched her leave before Selina snapped her eyes back to Harley, brows knitting. Skipping her eyes back to Ivy, she frowned at the sight of the blonde's condition.

"How is she, Ivy?"

"Numb as all hell."

Both sets of eyes tracked to the harlequin as she tilted her head, blue eyes glassy but open. She moved her hand, signaling for the spotted beast to jump down as she pulled herself free of the covers. Forcing her body to a sitting position, the battered rogue rotated her body, tossing her hurting legs over the edge of the bed. Taking a moment to gather herself, Harley put her hand on the railing of the stationary bed before pressing down, forcing her body upward to stand. After a tense moment, the blonde finally stood, her body swaying as her protesting legs shook, finally regrouping and supporting the blonde.

Taking a small step forward, Harley winced as her one leg buckled a bit, causing the already unbalanced rogue to shift to her right. Bud, who had been standing just behind the rogue, moved forward, catching the blonde just before she tumbled. Lou shifted from his position beside Ivy to walk to Harley's other side, offering his services should she falter again. Pleased, Harley smiled down at the two beasts, hurting hands ruffling both their heads in affection. Glancing up, Harley smirked at the two women on edge with worry as she continued her short walk. Shaking her head, her blue eyes lit up with an inner amusement.

"No faith, sweeties."

Her voice was raspy and dry, but strong. Continuing forward for another step, Bud and Lou stepped accordingly, matching the short strides with ease. Finally, after long minutes, Harley placed her hand on the bed beside Selina, blue eyes glittering with pride.

"Selly, glad to see you're not a total mess."

Selina crinkled her nose at the nickname before gently rubbing the blonde's forearm as she rested against the mattress.

"Glad to see you still have your sense of humor, Quinny."

Smiling, both women turned their azure gazes to the silent crying Ivy, both women offering smiles to the emotionally distressed redhead. Gesturing with her chin, Harley's smile widened, offering solace to her love.

"Move yer big ass over, Ivy. I need cuddle space."

Laughing through the tears that fell, Ivy shifted her healing body over, allowing room for the blonde. Turning one last look to the raven-haired burglar, Harley nudged Selina before pushing off the bed and staggering the small step to Ivy's side before sitting down on the edge of the bed. Adjusting her angle, Harley slowly laid down on the bed beside Ivy, a burst of air escaping as she finally relaxed against the pillows, large grin splitting her face. Grabbing at the red and green blanket, Harley shifted the covers up to tuck both of them in, smile never wavering.

Ivy laid back down beside the blonde, propped up on an elbow to look down at the relaxed harlequin. Blue eyes opened to regard the redhead, dry lips twisting in a smirk. Harley shifted her hand beneath the blanket, fingers searching for Ivy's hand. Once located, she lifted it before placing a kiss on it and tucked it around her. The Vixen of the Vines shuddered at the touch, her body tingling with elation at the contact. Both occupants then shifted their gaze to the amused Cat burglar just beside them, a stern but amused look on her tired face.

"You guys are making me sick, knock it off."

Harley chuckled, sleep already pulling at her focus. With a final look, she cast her eyes to Ivy, grin shifting. Bud and Lou jumped on the edge of the bed, one of them moving to snake his way behind Ivy, warmth soothing the Plant Queen. The second laid just at the end of the bed, tail swishing languidly in his content.

Al jumped up to lay just at the edge of Selina's bed, causing a humored smile to cross Selina's face, despite herself. Harley shifted her eyes between the creatures of the room, her smile strengthening more as her good hand moved down to scratch her baby behind the ears. Blissful, Harley snuggled in deeper, eyes slipping closed as she settled against Ivy.

"This is where I belong."

* * *

_The epilogue is next, the epilogue is next, the epilogue is next. Green Roses is finally, **finally** drawing to a close! Boojangs, out._


	20. Chapter 20

The jet-black Rolls pulled up to the side of the snow-logged road and stopped, causing the long line of cars behind it to stop as well. The tall, tight-jawed CEO stepped out of the back of the expensive car, his polished dress shoes creating a crunching noise on the pristine powder surrounding him. Slowly turning to scan the long line of cars behind him, he flexed his jaw before half turning toward the hearse that had stopped just before his car, guarded eyes taking in the sleek black paint of the long vehicle. Dread built in his chest as his focus again shifted, this time turning toward the robed figure standing by the hallowed grave, the man's wrinkled face gentle. Bruce then regarded the group of men that approached him, his steely gray eyes never wavering.

With icy resolve he watched the small group approach the situated hearse, his eyelids fluttering as he attempted to quell the emotion tingling just beneath his skin. Without a backward glance, the suited billionaire stalked toward the open burial, his gloved hands shifting to pull closer the long trench coat he wore. His eyes tilted downward toward a large tombstone as he passed, his eyebrows twitching on their own accord as he passed the large, stony letters that seemed to reach out in silent comfort to him: WAYNE; Thomas and Martha.

Shutting his eyes as he passed the marble stone, he walked the few remaining steps to stand just beside his partner's final resting place, cold eyes looking deep into the foreboding pit. Behind him he heard the crunching of snow as the funeral party shifted up the snow to follow behind the casket as it was carried up the short hill to finally be laid to rest. Bruce sighed softly before shifting around to watch as the black casket slowly made its way up the hill, safe in the hands of the Titans. Four sets of eyes slid upward to offer silent support to the Bat as they approached. Timothy, Victor, Garfield and Roy bowed their heads in respect as they walked the casket past Bruce to be placed on the lowering device before ultimately stepping away to rejoin the main group just at the edge of the hilltop.

Bruce forced his eyes open and upward, allowing him a moment to scan the many faces, new and old, as they sat in huddled mourning in the frigid atmosphere. Barbara sat nestled between Raven and Star, her normally luminous red hair flat and dull, coupling mournfully with the tear streaks marring her pretty face. Bruce shifted his eyes around before settling on the black and red flowers that were being handed to each member of the party. Alfred turned soulful eyes to the brooding CEO and approached with the final flower, a black rose that Bruce took gently into his hands, the very presence of the strange flower causing a strange emotion to swirl in his stomach. Nodding quietly to the waiting deacon, Bruce closed his eyes as the man's words settled over him, adding to the slight comfort offered by the ever-present butler that stood just at his side.

After a moment, Bruce steeled his nerves and approached the casket, pausing to stand as close as he dared to the smooth, black object. Icy sapphire eyes focused hard on the ornate bird symbol that spread across the top of the casket, a neatly embroidered 'R' standing in the very center of the vigilante's adopted identity. Releasing a shaky breath, Bruce finally turned the small group of friends and stepped forward to better address the people. Just as the CEO opened his mouth to speak, the skies above them opened, showering down a beautiful array of snowflakes. The Bat's mind instantly flashed to the scene of his parents on their final night, causing a painful stir of emotion to blaze through his nerves, causing his voice to choke for a moment. Gathering his thoughts for a final time, he focused on the band of heroes before him and nodded his head toward them. Closing his eyes a final time, his mind cleared to allow the normally quiet vigilante to speak.

"Dick was one of the single most important presences I have ever encountered. From the time he was in my care, I knew there was something about him that needed to be expressed. As he became Robin, I saw that spark in him ignite- from a young man to a respected hero, I watched him grow. But I was blind to his sacrifices and his devotion: we never saw eye to eye, and I carry with me the guilt that offers. I never took the time to understand him fully. I will regret that for the rest of my life. Richard John Grayson, my friend... my partner."

His words ended abruptly, the emotion in him creasing his forehead into a web of wrinkles. Silent cries reached his sensitive ears as the group mourned the loss of their equal and friend. The band of heroes approached the casket in a line, each person pausing at the engrave casket to place their flower before continuing around and back down to gather once more. Bruce squeezed the stem in his hand, the small thorns barely denting the thickness of his leather gloves. Alfred squeezed his shoulder before stepping around him to reunite with Barbara. The CEO watched with guarded eyes as each of the party passed by him, their eyes offering silent comfort to the steely Dark Knight.

Barbara, after placing her rose on the casket, approached the tall man, her emerald eyes red with emotion. She squeezed his hand before moving herself through the falling snow, her thicker tires making quick work of the white powder. Alfred placed his flower and bowed his head for a long moment, whispering a silent prayer for his fallen charge. He too, after a moment, approached the vigilante and stopped just before him. The older man raised his hands to squeeze the biceps of the man, his eyes offering all the words he couldn't bring himself to say. Eventually, he released the Dark Knight and rejoined the quietly whispering group just below the solitary vigilante.

Bruce raised his face to the sky and reveled in the icy feel of the flakes as they continued to fall and cling to the men and women as they stood in the bitter element. Finally, Bruce turned toward the lonely casket and iced over the pain he could feel attempting to escape his chest. Bruce stopped just beside the black coffer and allowed his eyes to trace the outline for long moments. After long minutes, he finally raised his gloved hand to place the final flower on the lid of burial chest, adding to the perfect arrangement.

Turning, he walked a step forward before stopping. Leaning his left hand on the crest of the lid, he clenched his jaw painfully tight as his vision lingered just a second longer.

"Rest easy."

His hand slid free of the polished surface and he walked forward before turning to walk further up the hill, away from those remaining. The deacon motioned for the casket to be lowered as Bruce continued his trek up the small hill, finalizing Nightwing's permanent departure. The CEO paused at the top of the small hill, stilling his body and pulse as it roared through his ears. Minutes passed before he heard cars starting and doors slamming. The raven-haired man knew Alfred remained behind, though at a respectful distance. More seconds passed in the swirling flakes before Bruce heard footsteps approaching from behind; he turned once he was sure they had stopped.

"Bruce... I'm so sorry."

The man in question shook his head before leveling the equally built newcomer with steely blue-gray eyes.

"I'm fine, Clark."

The bespeckled superhero frowned as the vigilante walked passed him toward the waiting Rolls. Clark sighed and followed after a moment and slid into the car just behind the Royce. Bruce, after sliding into the backseat, turned his eyes toward the grave as he was sure the casket had been fully lowered. His eyes caught the reflection of Alfred's concerned eyes, causing a small smile to form reflexively.

"Are you ready, Master Wayne?"

Bruce nodded and turned toward the window again as both cars started toward Wayne Manor.

* * *

Harley stood in their room, one crutch braced carefully under her good arm. Ivy sat on the bed and signed the last bit of paperwork before looking up at the antsy harlequin, causing her eyes the shine with inner humor.

"Nervous, Harl?"

The blonde bobbed her head and shifted her weight off the one crutch, allowing her a slightly better range of motion before a throbbing ache overtook her senses, causing her to fall back into the awkward slump of the crutch.

"I just want to get the hell outta here! It's been like, 5 days, I'm DYIN' here."

Ivy stood after a moment, her still weak legs trembling briefly before allowing her the slow gait toward the door. Harley hobbled along behind, her mutilated muscles on her one side making maneuvering her damaged legs even more of a challenge. The three hyenas that sat by the door followed out quietly, all eyes scanning the environment while they moved. As both women made their way toward the nurses' station, they were pleased to see Martha coming around the corner at the same moment. The young doctor stopped beside the station and casually leaned against the counter, a pleased smile stretching her lips.

"Good evening, ladies. Today's finally the day, huh?"

Ivy stopped just before the doctor and nodded, emerald eyes shining.

"Yes. Thank you, Martha."

The doctor passed her eyes from the impossibly glowing plant queen to settle on the still-haggard harlequin. Her brown eyes twinkled as she took in the sight of the feisty blonde, a small laugh escaping at her tenacity.

"Harley, you're truly remarkable. I wish you both the best. Stay out of trouble, okay? Both of you."

Liz and Joy approached both women with matching wheel chairs, causing Harley to groan and Ivy to sour at the sight. However, they both diligently took their seats and were wheeled down toward the elevators. After a short ride, both women were taken outside to the black sedan that had been pulled around, the trio of spotted beasts sticking close by as the two nurses moved the rogues. Ivy was up first and settling herself before turning to offer support to her companion. The two nurses easily slid the blue-eyed woman out of the chair and wished both well. Ivy slowly walked to the passenger side of the white-washed car and opened the door for the still-weak Harley and her babies. Ivy smiled, molten emerald eyes shining.

"Come on, baby. Let's go home."

* * *

Bruce forced himself up the winding staircase, though his tired form fought the entire way. It was early evening, and the last of the attendants had finally left Wayne Manor, leaving the emotionally drained Bruce to his own thoughts. Oracle had slipped down into the cave to keep busy, her own grief threatening to drive her tortured heart to madness. Alfred, too, had disappeared into a wing of the Manor, under the pretenses of straightening, though the CEO knew it was just to keep moving. Finally cresting the steps, the Caped Crusader made a slow but steady journey to his suite, his tired hands shifting to undo the tie that clung uncomfortably to his neck. Pushing open the outer door to the massive suite, he turned lazily to the right and entered the massive office that worked as a hub to his chambers. Finding nothing of worth, he stripped off his dress coat and tossed it haphazardly on the leather couch as he continued, brain refusing to register its presence.

Pausing outside the double doors to his bedroom, Bruce leaned his forehead against the cool wood before turning both handles and swinging the doors wide, finally admitting him to the equally massive room. His step was stilled, however, as his bleary blue eyes took in the form of Selina Kyle propped up in his bed, her wavy, controlled tresses cascading sensuously down her exposed shoulders. Her piercing blue eyes looked up as the doors swung open, pinning the Dark Knight to the threshold. After a moment, her eyes softened as she smiled at the rarely surprised CEO.

"Hello, Bruce."

Shaking off the mild shock, Bruce entered the room and slipped closed the doors just behind him. Trapping her with a steady gaze, his eyes roamed her lithe form, vision taking in the bandages still adorning the cat burglar's arms and face.

"Why are you out of the hospital?"

"Good behavior."

Unamused, he narrowed his eyes before continuing to undo the black dress shirt that he wore, uncomfortable in its heavy presence. With mild interest, she watched as he paced the room, all the while discarding his shoes, socks and belt. Finally he stood beside the bed and looked down at her, his placid eyes surveying her with interest.

"How are your injuries?"

She stifled a chill at his tone, but her gaze never wavered from his face. She slipped out from under the blanket and half-hopped to her feet, half-turning to address the man. Selina lifted the hem of the black tank she wore, exposing the smaller set of bandages covering the rapidly healing bullet wound in her abdomen. Dropping the shirt, she gestured down at the shorts she wore and the pristine white bandaged wrapped snugly around her thigh, dropping almost to her knee in length. The Dark Knight shifted around the bed and approached the Cat, concerned blue eyes critically looking over the two main areas of injury, unconvinced of their state. Stopping just before the Cat, Bruce lifted his hands toward the tank, though she grasped his large hands with her smaller ones.

Out of reflex, the Dark Knight flicked his eyes upward to land on the kind eyes of the woman just before him.

"Bruce-"

"I'm fine, Selina."

He dropped his hands and started to turn, but was stopped by her nails digging harshly into the flesh around his wrist. Snapping his head around, he opened his mouth to protest, but was met with vehemence by his companion.

"You can lie to yourself all you want, Bruce. But I know that somewhere inside, you're hurting. You can hide that from everyone that you please, but not me. Stay with me tonight. Move passed this, don't run away from it."

Attempting to shake her grip, Bruce torched the Cat with a fiery gaze and tugged his hand away from her, causing the Cat to stumble forward at the sudden shift. Bruce moved forward to ensure she didn't fall and injure herself, forcing him in full contact with the fury-laden Cat. She straightened in his arms and pinned the man with a nasty scowl. Not to be outdone, Bruce narrowed his eyes at her, but did not move away.

"It's getting late. I need to make sure Gotham is well."

Again, she dug her nails into his flesh, causing him to frown at the Cat and attempt once more to escape her grasp. She shook her head and took an unsteady step forward, meeting the man almost nose to nose.

"You know as well as I do that the cops are still out on the streets looking for stragglers, and attempting to find out who stole the Joker's body. You're not going to find it on your own. Oracle can't magically stumble across it. Nobody in this city will ever fucking find it, I bet. There's no reason for you-"

"Enough. I'm going-"

"Nowhere. You think I'm letting you out of here? Bruce Wayne could use the night off, Batman can let his trusty police force to watch the streets for one night. They've been everywhere, anyway. And with the Joker's body still not turning up, even the freed rogues are lying low. Stay."

His eyes had turned up in their fury, the sapphire eyes almost black in their irritation. Selina was impossibly close to him, resting most of her weight on him, trapping him in his stance to keep her from crumpling to the floor. Her gaze remained steady, her own azure gaze cutting into him. After a long moment, Bruce shook his head and finally broke her gaze.

"_Bane_ is still out there. The people that took the Joker's body are still out there. Blackgate scum is still lost in the streets of Gotham. All of that-"

"Can goddamn wait."

Selina moved to stand up fully, releasing Bruce from his obligation to keep her upright. Absently, she rubbed at the bullet wound that throbbed in her tense stomach muscles, causing a slight wave of nausea to tickle the front of her skull. She refocused on the Caped Crusader and scowled, waiting for him to respond. Bruce straightened as well and looked at her with hooded eyes.

"I'm sorry, Selina."

She scoffed and chuckled humorlessly before smiling deliciously at the tall man.

"Suit up, Bruce. If you're going out in the snow to watch over the city that sleeps, I'll be going with you."

* * *

Ivy opened the door to their hideout and shifted to the side to the let the hobbling blonde in, her smile ever present after witnessing the harlequin attempt to break down the door with her crutch. Harley staggered inside the familiar abode and released a deep sigh, elated at being home. The three hyenas warily entered the apartment, looking nervously between the two women that stood in the living room. Ivy grinned at the blonde, answering the silent question.

"They can stay inside for tonight, but after that, it's back in the greenhouse and the garage."

Harley's smile sparkled in the faint light of the apartment before she attempted to move herself towards the bedroom to freshen up. After having her help denied, Ivy did a lazy tour of the small apartment, turning on lights as she went, a happy warmth spread through the Plant Queen as she carefully piloted herself around their humble place. Seeing no sign of the harlequin, Ivy approached the bedroom door and nudged the door open with her foot. Moving toward the cracked door of the adjoining bathroom, Ivy stepped back as the door swung open violently, admitting a sheepish Harley to Ivy's view.

"Sorry, Red. Didn't hear ya come in."

The blonde shifted outward and over, winking at the redhead as she slid past her into the bathroom. After watching the spicy redhead disappear into the bathroom, Harley attempted another step with the aid of the crutch. She managed to get to the edge of the bed, where she smiled down at the familiar surface and closed her eyes, mind imagining laying in the soft bed with her favorite redhead. Hearing the muffled sound of the door handle, Harley turned towards the door to watch the object of her affection enter the room. At seeing the blonde's look, Ivy smiled shyly.

"What it is, love?"

Harley shook her head and tossed her crutch on the bed, causing Ivy to jerk forward in worry. The blonde gymnast shook her head and continued the slow walk toward the nervous redhead, the intense blue eyes focused solely on the Plant Queen's face as the harlequin continued her slow hunt. Finally within touching distance, Harley shifted forward hard, good hand sliding up to tangle in the hair at the base of Ivy's neck as her lips expertly found their target. Ivy whimpered slightly as the blonde kissed her deep and slow, causing Ivy to snake her hands around the rogue and lean forward into the other woman.

With what strength she could muster, Harley lifted her damaged arm, pleased when her hand found register on the redhead's hip. Shifting her weight, Harley pulled her lips away just enough to shift her hands underneath the loose scrub the redhead wore. After feeling the cool fingertips of the blonde on the heated skin of her belly, Ivy let out a desperate whimper that was soon swallowed by the blonde's ravenous lips, causing both of them to tumble the few steps backward to settle against the long wall behind them.

Ivy shifted her leg up to wrap around the blonde's bruised hips after she felt her back connect with the wall, successfully bringing Harley closer to her as their bodies rocked against one another in desperation. Harley broke their heated kiss to focus her attention elsewhere, her lips sliding down the jawline of the redhead before planting fiery kisses on the slender throat before her. Ivy, in her haze of sexually charged energy, rolled her hips forward and dropped her head back against the wall as her hands raked over the blonde's still healing body. The redhead groaned low as she felt the blonde's teeth sink into the soft skin of her throat.

"Harley... what are you-"

The blonde shifted her mouth to stifle the words escaping the Plant Queen's full lips. To accentuate her point, Harley rocked her hips against Ivy's and slid her good hand down to tease just beneath the band of the blue scrubs she still wore. Ivy arched her back at the ministrations, a small mewling sound escaping her at the act.

"I need you naked in that bed. Right now."

Ivy moaned at the words as they sunk into her, causing her hips to buck at the fingers still teasing just above her most sensitive area. Hands moving out of recklessness, Ivy tugged at the blonde's jaw before she was met with another heated kiss, their tongues colliding violently as Ivy shamelessly ground against the blonde that still held her firmly against the wall.

"Baby, we- fuck- ca-an't."

Harley slid her still teasing hand even lower, causing a low groan to escape the redhead. With a breathy response, Harley nipped at the Ivy's lower lip.

"Can."

With an almost animalistic growl, Ivy pushed them both up from the wall and helped guide their off-balance bodies before both collapsed on the soft surface of the bed. Rolling over so she could straddle the blonde, Ivy threw her weakened legs over the blonde's hips and dipped low, slamming their lips together. Pausing just enough to pull the scrub over her head, Ivy dipped again, lips reclaiming Harley's as they both continued the battle for dominance. Harley, after seeing the redhead, moaned low and snapped her hips upward, attempting to gather any form of friction.

Moving both her hands over the Plant Queen's supple chest, Harley raked her fingernails downward between the large globes, the movement momentarily distracting the redhead from her task. Harley, sensing the opening, bucked upward and turned, successfully tossing the redhead off her and pinned her in one fluid motion. Reconnecting with the swollen lips, Harley pinned the Plant Queen's hands just above her head as she began a slow exploration of the redhead's succulent mouth. Harley winced as she flexed the damaged muscle of her shoulder, but ignored it, instead moving the unsteady hand to again slip just inside the scrub pants the redhead still wore.

Ivy, from her position below the harlequin, bucked her hips and tossed her head back, detaching from the talented lips that currently dominated her own to release a high-pitched keening sound. Harley shifted her weight to the side and pulled roughly at the redhead's remaining clothing, pausing in her assault to literally rip the pants off the impatient Vixen, earning her a throaty moan as a reward. Harley slid downward to shift her knee between the green-skinned beauty's still weak legs, pleased when the redhead offered little resistance to the movement.

Sliding her tongue up the redhead's ample bosom, Harley rotated her knee against the green-eyed beauty's center, gathering a breathy gasp from the other rogue. Harley slid her hand downward to replace the rotating joint, her limber fingers moving to tease relentlessly. Ivy gasped deeply as the blonde's fingers connected with her core, splashing a delicious chill through her midsection. Ivy clawed at the blonde, searching desperately for the mouth that currently teased her chest with expert precision. Finally gathering the blonde's attention, Ivy tugged her upwards and crushed their lips together, her body convulsing violently against her will as Harley swirled her thumb around her pulsing center.

Harley adjusted against the angle, her tongue sliding back into the redhead's hungry mouth as her fingers circled Ivy's center mercilessly, pulling harsh breaths from the Plant Queen as she teased. The blonde smiled against the redhead's lips before finally slipping her fingers inside and extracting a strangled gasp from the redhead that slammed her hips downward to meet the hand with reckless need. Ivy clawed at the loose top the blonde still wore, stopping the blonde for a moment to roughly tear the shirt from her body. Wincing quickly, Harley moved her legs to help rid herself of her bottoms before rejoining the antsy redhead.

Ivy lifted her legs around the blonde's hips almost instantly, bringing the bruised hips downward to scrape wildly across her own, drawing twin moans from the women. Harley, from her position against the redhead's core, jerked her hips forward before dipping her head and reclaiming the swollen lips of the green-skinned vixen. Ivy's hands moved wildly over the blonde's bruised body, unable to stop themselves. Harley rolled her hips before quickly backing away to replace her hand, fingers moving to slide inside the redhead's slick entrance. Ivy whimpered before tangling her hands in the flowing blonde locks and pulling, tugging the blonde upward to kiss hungrily.

The harlequin continued to piston in and out of the voluptuous woman, daring to add another finger as she picked up her speed. Ivy groaned deeply as she felt herself stretching around the talented hand, her body rocking hard against the gymnast. The redhead raked her nails across the blonde's flesh as she fucked her, her brain trying in vain to warn her of the harlequin's many cuts, though she lacked the control to stop herself. Harley curled her body downward, her tongue moving to gently tease the peaks of the soft breasts as she continued her rhythm, mouth humming in delight against the pale green skin of the redhead.

Ivy shuddered violently as she felt Harley flick her thumbnail across her throbbing bud, an army of goosebumps exploding across her flesh as her body twitched harshly, signaling her impending orgasm. Harley's weaker hand slid roughly across the redhead's upper body as the blonde continued downward, tongue leaving wet trails as she approached Ivy's most intimate place. Ivy panted heavily as her brain was overloaded with the many sensations, the rough hands of the blonde torturing her breasts as the harlequin inched ever lower. Ivy knotted her fingers in the pale locks of her battered lover, her hips moving at a blinding speed as Harley continued to pump into her mercilessly.

The blonde finally slid downward and shifted her nose forward to nuzzle the skin before her, her tongue moving to lick hard and slow. Ivy, at her wit's end, screamed as the highly skilled tongue drug across her sensitive nub, finally pushing her over the edge. Wrapping her adrenaline-strengthened legs around the blonde's head, Ivy arched her back almost off the bed as she finally came, a hoarse scream tearing from her lips as her body seized in ecstasy. Harley continued her jerking motions, tongue flicking roughly against her lover's sensitive nub, drawing a high-pitched squeal from the redhead as she rode out her orgasm.

Eventually, Ivy slowed in her motions, her body rolling gently against the blonde she had inexplicably trapped against her core. Collapsing backward, she slid her legs down from around the blonde's shoulders and moaned slightly as the harlequin withdrew herself from the redhead. Ivy detangled her fingers from the blonde tresses, only to move up to tangle in her own hair, chest heaving as she attempted to calm her body. Harley crawled up to kiss the green-skinned beauty deeply before tilting her body to half-roll off the redhead to lie on her good side. Ivy turned her head to the side, glassy green eyes settling on the fluttering lashes of the gymnast.

"Jesus... Har-ley..."

Harley, with her eyes closed, smiled and snorted out a small laugh before opening her bloodshot orbs to focus on Ivy.

"Needed that."

Ivy smiled briefly and released a breathy chuckle before turning her body toward the blonde. Bright emerald eyes focused on the small splotch of red growing from beneath the bandage covering the bullet wound in Harley's shoulder; she frowned.

"Harley... you... overdid it."

Smiling, Harley shook her head and scooted her body forward, good leg going up around the redhead's curvy hips as the blonde nuzzled the warm cheek before placing a small kiss. She sighed dreamily and snuggled tightly to the Plant Queen, a large smile stretching her bruised lips.

"S'okay. I'll live."

Ivy watched the blonde's face carefully before ducking her head to snuggle up to the blonde. With a free hand, the redhead tugged at the blanket that had almost been tossed off the bed and pulled them up, effectively covering both of them. Harley sighed happily, the blonde almost asleep tucked against Ivy's shoulder. The redhead placed a kiss on the forehead of her exhausted lover and moved to wrap her arm around her gymnast.

"We'll finish this later, Harley. Good night, my love."

Harley mumbled incoherently for a moment before half-lifting her head to regard the redhead. Moving up her good hand, Harley threaded her fingers with Ivy's free hand and smiled.

"Together always. Love you, Red."

Ivy nodded and kissed the knuckles of her favorite blonde before tucking the woman in question back against the curves of her body.

"I love you, too, Harley. Together always."

_The End_.

* * *

_After almost 4 years, thousands of views, and hundreds of people embracing my story, it is finally finished. This may be the end of Green Roses, but the story itself will continue. I'm hoping to have the new chapter of the new story up within a few weeks, preferably sooner. We'll see how that goes. Thank you to everyone who followed, reviewed, and supported me through this whole thing! I hope you enjoy, I couldn't help myself with that last bit! Boojangles, out._


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